


Through the Underbrush

by Room_of_Angel



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Angst, Friends to Lovers, Guns, Kidnapping, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Supernatural Elements, Supernatural Hunters, heavily inspired by the puma mv, kinda slowburn ig
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:41:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 31,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24618517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Room_of_Angel/pseuds/Room_of_Angel
Summary: Maybe, just maybe, nothing bad had actually happened, and they would all be able to laugh it off in a couple weeks once they had been scolded and punished accordingly. Because, for once in all of his illicit escapades through the dangerous zone of their territory, Yeonjun didn’t think he could find a lie that was convincing enough to bury everything that had just happened.__Yeonjun’s friends get captured by hunters during a supposedly harmless escapade. As the only one to have walked away freely from the encounter, he takes it upon himself to rescue all of them, no matter the cost.
Relationships: Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun
Comments: 13
Kudos: 147





	1. The Underbrush

**Author's Note:**

> This is shamelessly inspired by the puma mv, tbh. Also, since it's my first txt work, the characterisation might be slightly off (hopefully not).

As soon as Yeonjun woke up, he could feel the remnants of the attack throughout his whole body. His nose was itching, head hurting, and his vision was still a bit hazy, even from his spot on the ground. The earth was damp underneath his naked body and he couldn’t help the shivers racking his whole self. How long had he been unconscious for? When had he even shifted?

_ “Let’s try and go down the mountain,” Beomgyu had laughed. “If we’re quick, we can come back before dinner.” _

Yeonjun tried to get up clumsily, only to fall back down on the ground when his back hit something solid. Looking around, he noticed he was hiding inside a small den. Yeonjun did remember jumping through a hole nestled between some massive tree roots while running away. He must have passed out right there as danger was still looming over his head. 

He groaned, attempting to crawl through the dirt in order to set himself free. Once he was finally able to see the sun piercing through the foliage up above his head, Yeonjun settled onto his back. Squinting his eyes against the light, he spit out a leaf that had managed to invade his pasty mouth. 

_ “I’m not sure it’s a good idea,” Soobin had said. “Especially not at this time of the year…” _

Judging from his surroundings, Yeonjun was still miles away from the village, and he wasn’t even sure he was able to shift to make the trek back up the mountain faster. He wasn’t even standing and yet, his limbs still felt like jelly. Although he was one of the firsts to run away, he still had inhaled an important dose of the gas. Had his friends even been able to make it?

They had lost each other in the chaos of it all, but he distantly remembered Taehyun running towards the same direction as him. After that, everything was a blur. Yeonjun’s only focus had been to get away as fast as possible and, as ashamed as he was of it, he hadn’t stopped to make sure his friends were okay.

_ “Soon, I’ll be busy preparing myself for my inniatiaton,” Kai had said. “You guys promised me you would take me down with you this summer. It’s now or never.” _

How was Yeonjun supposed to explain what happened to the Council? He was the oldest and was supposed to be the smartest, to take care of those who were younger and more vulnerable than him. Yet, he had run off in fear, like he wasn’t a hunter in training, like he didn’t have an ounce of courage in him.

Maybe, if he was lucky enough, someone else had already made it to the village before him. Maybe all of them. Maybe, just maybe, nothing bad had actually happened, and they would all be able to laugh it off in a couple weeks once they had been scolded and punished accordingly. Because, for once in all of his illicit escapades through the dangerous zone of their territory, Yeonjun didn’t think he could find a lie that was convincing enough to bury everything that had just happened.

Yeonjun stood up on shaky legs, leaning against a nearby tree. He had to leave this place and make it back home, even if he had to drag himself through the underbrush to get there.

_ “It’s now or never,” Yeonjun had agreed, putting the final nail in their coffin.  _

The hunters had taken them by surprise. They had been too cocky, too daring. They had grown bored of the long winter months spent either hunting or bundled up in the village, never having time to sneak around and cause mischief. As they were playing in the forest near the end of their territory, they had been bombed by strange metal cans exuding a whitish cloud. 

In their animal form, their instincts ran stronger than anything else, and Yeonjun hadn’t been able to keep calm. He doubted any of them did. It hadn’t been long before all of them had run away. Even through the pounding of his heart, he was still able to hear the humans’ shouts as they came out of their hiding places. 

Even through the crunching of the leaves under his paws, he hadn’t been able to drown out Soobin’s distressed roars. 

Even if he was still feeling the urge to throw up, Yeonjun was extremely hungry. He probably was dehydrated too, but he did not want to lose time looking for a water source when every step that brought him closer to the village was one step closer to finally knowing. His mind kept spinning, leaving him thinking about nothing else but his friends’ fate. 

As Yeonjun progressed, he slowly became aware of his surroundings. Yeonjun knew he wasn’t so far from home. He only had a little more than a couple hours left, considering his slow pace. In his other form, the run back would have gone by a blink, but he didn’t dare shift. He felt so drained, and with his body aching all over, he did not want to risk anything going wrong and delaying him further. 

When the village finally came into view, Yeonjun felt his legs give up on him. Through the fog that had muddled his mind, he heard someone scream for him. Or maybe at him? He didn’t quite know anymore. Yeonjun closed his eyes, letting himself relax right where he laid. He only perked up when he felt the weight of a blanket settling onto his back.

“Yeonjun,” a deep voice said above him. “Dear God, what happened to you?”

Yeonjun opened an eye and looked up. Crouching in front of him was the village’s healer, a look of worry etched on his face. When Yeonjun tried to raise himself on shaky arms only to fall back down, the healer gestured to his left. There must have been people standing nearby, since Yeonjun suddenly felt hands on him. He was lifted into someone’s arms. Then, they were all moving deeper between the small houses. The people that had found him were without a doubt taking him to the healer’s shop. Yeonjun heard someone whisper about his mother and he sighed, already imagining how worried she must have been. 

It wasn’t long before Yeonjun found himself lying on a less than comfortable bed, the blanket still safely wrapped around his body. He looked up at the ceiling, feeling the waves of exhaustion crash onto him. The healer stepped closer to him, a glass of water in his hands. 

“Can you raise yourself up a little bit?” he asked. “I know it’s not comfortable, but you need this.”

Yeonjun nodded, and propped himself up on an elbow, groaning. It was admittedly a bit humiliating to have someone helping him drink like this, but as the cool water finally made contact with his parched tongue, he couldn’t bring himself to care about dignity anymore. He couldn’t remember the last meal he had, much less when was the last time he had drank anything.

That was how his parents found him mere minutes later, desperately drinking, almost naked, all contenance lost. At the sound of his father’s huff, Yeonjun leaned away from the healer, wiping his chin with a weak hand. 

“What did you do?” he asked, radiating authority and animosity. Yeonjun barely paid him any attention; his eyes zeroed on his mother. “Hi mom. I’m sorry.” His voice sounded hoarse to him and he winced, unsettled. His mother stepped closer to him, a hand immediately carding through his matted hair.

His father was less than happy about being ignored. “Yeonjun,” he nearly growled. “I need you to answer me, right now.”

Yeonjun’s eyes narrowed. For a moment, he thought his father simply wanted a confrontation as he usually did. Hackles raised, the tension in the air almost made him forget what really was important at that very moment. It then dawned on him. 

“No one arrived yet,” he blurted out. 

“We weren’t expecting you either,” his father responded. “Were the other boys supposed to be ahead of you?”

Yeonjun felt a sense of dizziness that had nothing to do with his current physical state wash over him. “I,” he stammered. “I don’t know, I lost them…”

“You lost them?” His father’s voice was eerily cool and collected, but as much as he feared him, nothing could beat his current dread. 

“Yes.”

“Are you stupid?”

His mother finally felt like it was time to intervene. She had been wincing for the entirety of their conversation, petting Yeonjun’s hair as a way to silently console him. “Honey, he’s not in the right state…”

“I don’t care what state he’s in!” 

Even the healer had flinched at the pure fury in the man’s voice. Yet, Yeonjun couldn’t bring himself to look away from his father’s eyes. “You are supposed to be the eldest,” he said. “Why are you the only one that is back? Shouldn’t you be the one protecting the others?”

He knew exactly what the man meant. He already felt guilty about it, and coming from his father, the words weighed heavy on him. As if it still wasn’t enough, he continued on.

“What will you say to the Leader when he will ask for you to explain yourself?”

_ What will you say to the Leader when he will ask you why his son disappeared? _

Yeonjun’s father then left, uncaring of his son’s predicament. He left in his wake a heavy silence. Yeonjun’s mother was the first to speak up, the healer still shuffling around, trying to look busy. “Yeonjun-ah, he will come around. You only have to worry about getting better.”

But Yeonjun knew getting better was far from his most urgent worry. In fact, he couldn’t care less. It was only when he laid back down and put a hand against his face that he realized he was trembling all over.

___

Yeonjun was sent home soon after, clothed, fed and well hydrated, but he never made it that far. Instead, he was brought to the center of the village, where the Council usually took care of their clan’s matters. All of the council members were sitting on a raised ledge, forming a half circle in front of him. The ledge surrounded a circle that was lower than the rest of the Central place of the village. It must have been the prettiest landmark of the entire village, with its detailed mosaic piece covering the ground. It depicted a panther that was mid jump, a river of a deep blue running underneath the shifter.

Yeonjun was standing in the middle of the circle, head bowed. His eyes were fixed on the panther’s bright yellow eyes. Even though the members of the Council were sitting and Yeonjun was standing up, he still felt like they were towering over him.

“Yeonjun,” their Leader said from his spot at the head of the Council. “Can you please tell us what happened?” The man looked worried, sitting on the edge of his seat like he couldn’t stand not moving. 

“I,” Yeonjun started, his sentence hanging in the air. He didn’t know what was the best way to go, what he could and could not say to them. The eyes of what felt like the entire village rested on his back. Council audiences and meetings weren’t seclusive. In fact, they were open to each and every member of the clan. Although only the members and higher up of the clans had the right to speak up during those events, a lot of people still found the meetings interesting. It was a way to learn more about what was going on within the clan, and gossips were usually the best distraction to go around in a place as secluded as the mountains. Right now, Yeonjun was certain that this meeting was nothing short of morbidly interesting. He could already feel the stares that were sure to linger on him even weeks after it passed

“We were playing in the forest and, I’m… I didn’t think we were that far but…”

“Who’s we?” someone at the far left of the circle asked. 

“Choi Beomgyu, Kang Taehyun, Huening Kai and… Choi Soobin.”

“The usual,” said another, her voice dismissive. Yeonjun wondered for a brief instant if they were all aware of their previous escapades. He had always thought himself to be a talented liar, but perhaps he was misguided.

“And then?”

“Then, I think… I think we encountered hunters.”

A collective gasp came from the crowd, and Yeonjun bit his lip. 

“You think?”

“No, I’m- I’m sure.”

The Leader sighed. “Did you see what happened to the rest of you?”

“No, I was… we were each focused on running away as fast as possible. I’m sorry.” 

He didn’t seem all that surprised. He only nodded, brows furrowed. “Even my son? Did you see him run away?”

_ His best friend’s roar was nothing short of recognizable, even through all of the commotion shaking the entire forest. Yeonjun felt the need to answer his call, but all he could do was running even faster. _

“I’m sorry,” Yeonjun repeated. He couldn’t bring himself to meet the eyes of the man sitting right in front of him. “I don’t know what happened to Soobin.”

The rest of the audience seemed to pass fairly quickly in Yeonjun’s head. They asked for more details on the attack, and Yeonjun felt incredibly bad that he could not provide anything of significance. He was waiting to be dismissed when a sentence that was uttered by someone from the Council made his blood freeze in his veins. He was certain he was not meant to hear it, but he simply could not let it go.

“It’s not like we’re going to get them back.”

“Excuse me?” 

His outburst seemed to create a wave of indignation, but Yeonjun couldn’t even bring himself to care for the utter lack of respect that permeated his tone. Later, he would probably feel mortified about it, and he could already hear his father's angry tirade ringing in his ears, but he only shook his head to get rid of the thoughts.

“What do you mean by that? We’re just gonna abandon them to their fate?”

“We’re not abandoning them,” said the man, fake patience dripping from his self as if he was speaking to a stubborn child. He may very well have been, but Yeonjun didn’t care for appearances anymore. “We are going to wait a few days, see if they come back by themselves.”

“And if not?”

“And if not,” the Leader intervervened. “Then we’ll prepare for the funerals.”

“What?” At the mention of funerals, Yeonjun’s eyes widened. This audience was proving to be a disaster, but for entirely different reasons than he had expected. Surely, Yeonjun couldn’t be the only one that was appalled by the council’s apathy. “They could still very well be alive even if they don’t come back! We have to…”

“We have to what? Risk even more lives by trying to find them? Liberate them from wherever they are?” The Leader looked pained, as if every word was torture for him. If saying those horrible things hurt that much, Yeonjun didn’t understand why he still spoke them. “I can’t afford to do that, Yeonjun. Even for Soobin. You understand that, don’t you?”

No, he did not understand. He felt disgusted, wronged. How dare those who were supposed to protect them act this way? 

Yeonjun didn’t wait for his dismissal. He broke through the crowd gathered around, their hushed chatter muffled to his ears. He heard someone call him back, but he could not stay a minute longer in this place. Yeonjun wasn’t quite aware of where his feet were bringing him, lost as he was in his thoughts. When he came back to himself, he was sitting on a strong branch high up in a tree. He certainly did not remember climbing up to it, but it did not matter to him at that moment.

He still felt a bit dizzy from everything that had happened the day before. Was it the day before? When they had left the village, it had still been early afternoon. Right now, it seemed as if the sun had yet to reach its highest point. 

Yeonjun frowned. It had already been over twelve hours since they were attacked. Since he had been unconscious in the den underneath the tree for more than half of that time, he could only assume that most of his friends had been knocked out by the gas too. Would they eventually find their way back? If not, what could he even do? He wasn’t even fully trained, despite his initiation having passed by almost three years already 

Yeonjun didn’t have a lot of experience with the human world. Their clan usually kept away, high up in the mountain. They did encounter hunters every now and then, but were mostly left undisturbed. Yeonjun couldn’t even remember the last time a tragedy like this had happened to them. Perhaps he wasn’t even born yet. Regardless, he didn’t know what the standard procedures were in case of abductions, but judging by how the Council had reacted, there really weren’t any that were efficiently put into place.

Yeonjun couldn’t believe the people they all put on a pedestal would be so willing to abandon them right when they needed their guidance and help the most. He couldn’t believe his Leader would leave his own son to die in the hands of humans. Yeonjun had half expected his own father to react that way, but Soobin had always seemed so close to his father. He couldn’t even imagine how Soobin would feel if no one came for him. Couldn’t even imagine any of his friends as they slowly lost the hope that someone would save them from their predicament.

Soon enough, the constant rumbling of his belly had Yeonjun climb down from the tree. He slowly made his way out of the forest and back to his own house, where he knew his mother would have a meal waiting for him. As her work allowed her to stay home, Yeonjun never had to worry about cooking for himself. He only hoped his father would be gone by the time he arrived. He knew he would be far from happy about the scene he had caused during the audience, and he was not in the mood for his father to play with his preexisting guilt.

His wish seemed to have been granted, since when he opened the front door, the only sounds he could hear were the familiar song his mother was singing to herself. Yeonjun immediately smiled, his shoulder sagging in relief. He made his way into the kitchen, where he greeted his mother quietly. 

“Oh Yeonjun, dear,” she said, looking away from where she was stirring something that was boiling in a pot. “You’re finally back.”

“Yeah,” he said as he sat at the kitchen table. “I’m really sorry for worrying you.”

She sighed. “I won’t say it’s fine,” she said, turning back around. “I’m just extremely glad you are safe and sound.”

“Yeah,” Yeonjun muttered. He knew she wasn’t mad about his reaction at the Council meeting, nor about him disappearing afterwards. He had a tendency to isolate himself when he was upset, and she always knew he wasn’t far away, simply hiding out in the forest nearby. She must have been especially disappointed when he failed to come back last night, on top of her obvious worry. Yeonjun felt bad about betraying her trust like this, but the deed was already done. 

His fingers were distractedly tracing the wood grain on the table. Yeonjun’s saliva felt excruciatingly hard to swallow. “I’m,” he started, before closing his eyes. “Do you really think they won’t come back?”

His mother paused in her steering, before she turned the heat off and sat across from him at the table. Yeonjun could only hope he hadn’t ruined their lunch. “Yeonjun-ah,” she said, voice soft. “I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been.”

Yeonjun wanted to protest, to tell her this wasn’t about him. His friends were clearly in way more trouble than he was currently, and he didn’t understand why no one seemed to be freaking out like him. “I know it’s especially hard for you, to sit there and do nothing about it, but you can understand that attempting to bring them back home would be suicide, right?”

“No,” Yeonjun shook his head, eyes casted down. “You’re wrong. I don’t understand.”

His mother took his hands between both of hers, dipping her head to try and meet his eyes. “I pray they come back, I really do. But you have to let it go if they don’t.”

“If we’re organized enough, maybe we can trace them back, and…”

“There’s no  _ we _ ,” she cut him off. “I won’t let you risk your life for this.”

Yeonjun winced. He looked back up, trying to keep his eyes focused on her. She had to realize how important this was. Surely, she couldn’t seriously consider abandoning four of their own youth? Kai still wasn’t even initiated, he still hadn’t gone on his first official hunt. Taehyun had only just begun his apprenticeship with the healer. 

Yeonjun still hadn’t found the courage to tell Soobin.

He removed his hands from her grasp, shaking his head. She seemed to realize nothing good could possibly come out of their conversation. She nodded, and went back to her pot. 

Yeonjun had never felt so frustrated. Even his mother, who was always on his side, wasn’t supportive of his indignation. He really didn’t know who to turn back to, what to do with himself. He had never felt this powerless before. Everyone around him seemed to move as if they were already all dead, but Yeonjun knew it still wasn’t too late yet. There had to be something that could be done. Shifters were stronger than humans, after all. But a shifter all by himself could not do much. 

Yeonjun could only sit around and hope for the best. 

___

The entire day passed without a sign of life from any of his friends. Yeonjun had spent its entirety walking in circles at the edge of the forest, wanting to be the first to know of any possible developments. Many times, his heart had frozen into place as he caught glimpses of shadows between the trees, only to be filled with disappointment as they always turned out to be small animals passing through or tricks of the light. The wait was killing him, and he knew he was only at the very beginning of it. He couldn’t imagine himself crossing off each unsuccessful day while patiently waiting for something that would never come. He needed to do something, and as fast as he could.

But Yeonjun did not do anything on the first day. Nor on the second. It wasn’t until the third day after the attack that he made any semblance of progress. 

More than 72 hours had already passed since his friends’ disappearance, and he had long lost any hope that any of them would come back by themselves. He knew that each hour that passed without him actively doing anything brought them closer to their demise, but he still hadn’t quite figured out a plan of action. Firstly, he needed to convince the Council to help him look for clues in the forest, or at least do something more effective than sitting and waiting. The forest was the starting point, and they could surely trace back the hunters’ movement from there. Perhaps the members of the Council had changed their mind since the last time Yeonjun had spoken to them. Perhaps they would be willing to lend a helping hand.

As he was about to step foot into the Central place, his eyes settled upon two figures standing in the middle of the circle where audiences were held, where Yeonjun had stood merely days ago. The back of the person that was the closest to him was frighteningly familiar to him, and he quickly flattened himself against a nearby house, not wanting to be seen by his father. 

“...need to be prepared. Just in case,” his father was saying.

“It’s becoming too dangerous around here,” responded the person in front of him. 

Yeonjun frowned. It was their Leader, who sounded uncharastically defeated. Perhaps Soobin’s absence was taking its toll on him, after all. 

“What do you suggest that we do, then?” 

“We could move. There is still a nice place higher up the mountain. We should be able to build some cabins before winter and if not, there are a lot of dens that are…”

“Are you serious?” Yeonjun’s father intervened. “Just because we sighted a few hunters during patrols, you’re seriously thinking of moving the whole clan?”

Yeonjun’s father was head of patrols. His position meant that he was responsible for the clan’s security, and he had to make sure that no threat would ever be able to come too close to them. Unsurprisingly, he would be the first one aware of anything that was out of place on their territory. Not that Yeonjun would know. Although his father had tried many times to recruit him for the patrols, Yeonjun’s mind was set on something else. He wanted to be a hunter like all his friends, and help the clan by bringing food to the table. 

“If it’s what it takes in order to prevent more of our children from disappearing, then it’s a decision I’m willing to make.”

“What if your son comes home and no one is there to greet him?”

Yeonjun knew his father was playing an unfair game. He did not believe Soobin, or any of the others, would come back. Still, he was ready to use the Leader’s grief against him in order to avoid what he did not want to happen. Yeonjun shuddered. 

“You know he’s not going to come back,” the Leader sighed. “They don’t keep their captives in the warehouses for very long, and it’s already been three days.”

“He could eventually escape.”

“Once they’re shipped off somewhere else, it’s nearly impossible.”

“But your son is…”

“Enough!”

Yeonjun jumped at the man’s tone. He was usually so calm and collected, and seeing the Leader like this really was a shock to him. Although he did not quite show it during the audience in front of Yeonjun, Soobin’s disappearance must have really taken its toll on him. 

“We will closely monitor how the hunters move, and if  _ I  _ decide that we do need to leave for our safety, we  _ will _ leave. Is that clear?”

There was a moment of silence, and Yeonjun could feel the tension bleeding thick into the air even from where he was standing. For a moment, he was afraid his father would still argue. Fighting really was in his nature.

Finally, the man sighed. “Yes.”

Yeonjun didn’t linger for much longer. He had already heard everything there was for him to hear, and he still needed to make sense of it. As quietly as he could, he turned heels and carefully walked away. On his way back home, he thought about the new information he had gathered. 

According to the Leader, captured shifters were brought to a warehouse, at least for some time. Then, they were sent off. But where? What did the humans do to them ? Yeonjun had always assumed they were killed on sight, or at least soon after being taken, but since his father  _ had  _ mentioned a possible escape, they could still be kept alive for a while. There was still hope.

Yeonjun knew that convincing other people to help him would be fruitless, just like he knew that there wasn’t any way for him to gain any more knowledge than he already had. The human world was a secret that was kept tight-lipped, and only those occupying important positions within the clan could have access to information. Each and every second that passed brought his friends further away from him and closer to death, and he could not afford to twiddle his thumb in wait of a saviour. 

Even if attempting anything could cost him his life, Yeonjun would not allow himself to abandon those he deeply cared for.

  
  
  
  



	2. Metal Bars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeonjun held his breath, cowering behind a big metal box. And then-  
> “Have you heard something?”  
> Yeonjun closed his eyes. He lied in wait, his heart beating at an impossible rhythm, waiting for someone to come investigate the noise he surely made while hitting the back of the truck. The hunter’s conversation had stalled, and the silence hanging over the small patch of road felt heavier than steel.

Yeonjun had spent the last two days on the edge of his toes, carefully planning what he knew was complete madness. There wasn’t much to prepare, really. The hardest and most draining part of it was steeling himself for a failure that was highly probable. Yeonjun did not like to think of it as a suicide mission, but the odds really were agaisnt him.

The night he had chosen for his departure, had hugged his mother for a moment too long before she had gone to bed. His father had already been asleep for an hour or so, exhausted by the patrol of the day. While Yeonjun had not been as obvious in his intentions as to say goodbye to him through an embrace, he had levelled him with a stare he hoped was strong enough earlier in the day, across the dining table. His father had only raised both eyebrows, and Yeonjun had bowed his head in respect. If the man had been surprised by his strange behaviour, he hadn’t said anything. 

Yeonjun left through his bedroom window only a couple hours after dusk, quickly shifting into his other form as soon as his feet touched the ground. He had packed a change of clothes as well as other necessities in a backpack small enough to fit inside his maw. He picked it up before leaving for the forest, as subtle as he could be. 

His other form offered him more grace and stronger senses, making the choice to escape the village with its help all the more logic. His strong paws redistributed his weight in a way that made each of his steps silent and assured, and his light brown fur blended better with the trees than his human skin. Although Yeonjun was missing his thumbs, he wouldn’t have any difficulties climbing trees or crawling, and even less running away should things go wrong. While he was still on the clan’s territory, escape was still possible. However, he did not plan on staying on safe grounds very long. 

Yeonjun ran through the forest for a long while, his feline eyes able to pierce through the ambient darkness with ease and allowing him to waste no time gauging his surroundings. He had felt so trapped for the past week, hands bound as he could do nothing but wait within the secure grounds of the village. He had now made the choice to take control of his own actions, and the freedom left him giddy and nervous. Yeonjun wasn’t used to working alone, always being surrounded by friends and partners when it came to serious business but this time, no one had his back. It was solely up to him to assure not only his own safety, but also his friends’. 

After a while, he began to hear rustling as well as voices ahead of him. He still had a significant distance to travel in order to get to the source of the noises, but Yeonjun didn’t want to risk being caught in a vulnerable place. He climbed up a strong tree, speeding through the last mile he had left jumping from branch to branch. Yeonjun had always been a great climber, quick and sure-footed. Of course, his other form definitely was a step ahead of many other species when it came to that particular ability. 

Some people liked to call the shifters from his bloodline ‘mountain lions’. The name had quite a nice ring to it, and it inspired awe and respect. Proper lions were rarely found in shifters, especially out of the savannah, so much that they became an extremely sought after and respected species within their communities. Mountain lions were as close as one could get to them across Asia, even if the ressemblance didn’t go further than their shared name. 

Others called them cougars. Yeonjun didn’t particularly like the name. He preferred the name ‘puma’. It had a nice ring to it, sounded fresh to his ears. Yeonjun felt pride in the name, and it was the one he usually used to refer to his other form **.** His father swore only by mountain lion. Yeonjun thought it was pretentious. 

When Yeonjun found the humans, his breath hitched in his throat. He settled right above a group of three that were busy searching through bushes and low hanging leaves. Willing his heart to calm down, fearing its loud beating was sure to give him away, he looked closely at his surroundings. 

These hunters must have been less experimented than the ones from the week before. They were loud and careless, speaking through hushed tones as if shifters couldn’t hear them this way. But maybe they truly believed in their discretion, incapable of hearing their ruckus. Human senses were muddled, Yeonjun remembered. They did not taste like shifters did, did not hear nor see like them. For all of their technological advantage, their bodies were weak, and they relied too much on tools and tricks. 

Yeonjun spotted another group of humans a little ahead. They were slowly walking away, seemingly uncaring of what could possibly lie within the woods. He figured they weren’t actively trying to capture any of his own, since their posture seemed pretty relaxed, their weapons not even drawn. Yeonjun stood up, carefully following them from above. 

A few minutes later, the humans crossed over a ditch, emerging on the side of a narrow dirt road. Yeonjun could see three vehicles parked on after the other, two bulky pickup trucks, as well as a black minivan. He didn’t need to be a hunter to know what the latter was for. As he couldn’t walk further without accidentally exposing himself, Yeonjun stayed back in the shadows, avoiding the strong moonlight breaking through the foliage near the road. 

Vehicles weren’t a strange sight in the village. They had some people tasked with going to the human cities once in a while to get some resources. Once in their human forms, shifters were hardly different from regular people. Hiding from them in plain sight was fairly easy, if they weren’t being purposely hunted.

Due to these ‘expeditions’, a few cars and trucks were found hiding in a rather small garage at the edge of the village, where a hidden road converged to. Yeonjun never had the occasion to ride in one. He could only admire them from afar once in a while. 

So far, the little Yeonjun had planned had actually been fairly easy. The difficult parts were really only just beginning to show the tip of their nose and yet, Yeonjun felt at a loss. He knew where he needed to be, but didn’t really know how to get there safely, and not chained in the back of the black van. Yeonjun moved carefully to the left, his eyes never leaving the three hunters. They were gathered around the van, uncaring of the volume of their conversation. 

Yeonjun’s eyes locked on one of the trucks. Half of its bed was covered by a grey tarp, the plastic distended here and there by the objects lying underneath. Had Yeonjun had the muscles to do so, he would have smiled in delight. One of his problems was now easily solved. He looked back at the hunters, who were still distracted but what seemed to be a heavy conversation. Would it be better to stir their attention as far away from him as possible? 

The decision was stolen from him when the rest of the hunters broke through the edge of the trees. Were they already leaving? His eyes widened in panic, and without much more thoughts, he jumped straight into the cargo bed. He quickly slid underneath the tarp as fast as he could. Yeonjun held his breath, cowering behind a big metal box. And then-

“Have you heard something?”

Yeonjun closed his eyes. He lied in wait, his heart beating at an impossible rhythm, waiting for someone to come investigate the noise he surely made while hitting the back of the truck. The hunter’s conversation had stalled, and the silence hanging over the small patch of road felt heavier than steel.

“No, what do you mean?” 

And that was the end of it. Yeonjun could have cried in relief. Never had he been happier to hear humans speak so grossly on shifters. He sighed, settling a little more comfortably underneath the tarp.

It wasn’t long before the humans each went into their separate cars. The truck rocked as two of them climbed inside of it, and Yeonjun felt a flutter of nervousness run through his whole body. The truck startled to life, engaging on the road. Yeonjun would finally experience his first ride aboard a moving vehicle, after all.

The rough movement left him almost dizzy, and he bit his tongue against a mewl of dissatisfaction. He didn’t know how long the ride would eventually last. Yeonjun could only hope he would be able to fight the slowly rising urge to throw up.

The dawning realization of exactly what he was getting his paws into slowly came upon him. Gone were the mostly safe forest of his clan’s territory. Gone was the reach of his people. Yeonjun truly was all alone, stuck on hostile ground, and only by his very own will. It sure did feel like madness to him, now that the initial adrenaline high from his ‘escape’ had gone down. What was he even doing?

Yeonjun had no one to rely on. He only had his two years as a fledgling hunter to back him up, and even that was a stretch. His claws could do nothing against bullets. He couldn’t use brute force in order to get what he wanted. In those conditions, Yeonjun needed to be as subtle as he could be. Being noticed not only meant a death sentence for him, but also for his four missing friends. Although he didn’t know the human world, he would need to adapt faster than one could blink. 

Yeonjun wasn’t quite sure he would actually be able to achieve that feat. 

____

At first, Yeonjun’s plan had been to hitch a ride with the hunters, only to jump out of the vehicle as soon as they left the forest and arrived in the city. He then decided to wait until the very end of the trip, since he wouldn’t be able to find his way once left alone. A huge puma roaming free through the streets was a sight far too noticeable, one he couldn’t afford. Shifting in the cargo bed was also not an option, since he feared the content of his stomach would not agree with too much moving. Not only were the movement of the trucks far from what he had imagined they would be, his nose was also very affected by the smell of car smoke, oil and gasoline.

Yeonjun had thought the noise of the city would have been far too much for his ears, but to his surprise, their surroundings were quite mellow. They were in the middle of the night, after all. He figured humans really did go to sleep, as unlikely as it sounded to him. 

The truck stopped many times along the way. Each time, he could feel his body tense up in wait of an imminent threat. The movement of the truck was extremely irregular, stopping and starting back up over and over again. When they did cease to move for good, Yeonjun heard a very loud rattling noise coming from behind them. Then, the front doors opened as the hunters loudly stepped out of the vehicle. He feared that they would come and take out the equipment that was left in the back of the truck with him, but the two humans simply left, chattering with one another. Yeonjun let out a small huff when he felt that their voice had grown distant enough. Now, he could finally stretch his legs and breathe properly. Yeonjun couldn’t believe how incredibly lucky he had been this whole time, but that did not mean he wasn’t in constant fear of the other shoe dropping.

He still waited a while longer, partly to wait and see if anyone would come back, partly to gain his footing back. The dizziness he had felt at the beginning of the ride felt like nothing compared to what he was experiencing now. Maybe it was due to the uncomfortable situation he was in, but Yeonjun didn’t think he would ever enjoy car rides if they all felt as disorienting as this one had.

Yeonjun looked around carefully as he crawled out from underneath the tarp, muzzle high in the air. The truck had ended up parked in what looked like a garage, with many other similar vehicles surrounding it. There wasn’t much else to say about the big space around him. Thankfully, it seemed devoid of any humans. 

Yeonjun dragged his backpack with his maw and shifted, rummaging through it as shivers ran down his naked back. He never really felt cold, even when bare to his skin, but a strange feeling had goosebumps raising across his skin. He felt far from safe. Yeonjun quickly put his clothes on before he shouldered his backpack and jumped out of the cargo bed once and for all. He never wanted to set foot into something as atrocious as this ever again.

The sound of his boots hitting the concrete floor was unbelievably loud in the silence surrounding him. As he looked around, he noticed a set of doors at the far left of the garage. Thankfully, they weren’t locked, and Yeonjun was able to slip out without much fuss, slowly closing the doors behind him to make sure they would not make too much noise. While he did know his hearing was better than the humans’, he didn’t know by how much. It was better to be as careful as possible than to underestimate his enemies.

The doors led to a sort of locker room, similar to what could be found in the hunters’ cabin back in the village. Metal lockers could be found on three of the walls, the fourth one occupied by a weapon rack and a door. A row of benches stood in the middle of the space, clothes haphazardly thrown across the wood without a care. 

Yeonjun eyed the weapons distrustingly. Had he known how to use any of the guns or crossbows displayed, now would have been the time to arm himself. As it was, Yeonjun didn’t know anything about firearms besides the very basic logistics of them, and he had no intention in learning anything more. They were used to kill his people, and that was it to him. 

He stepped through the door, once again closing it as quietly as possible. The corridor Yeonjun found himself in was dimly lit, seemingly stretching for miles and miles. Logically, he knew it wasn’t actually that long, but each set of doors he could see flanking it from both sides had his nervousness growing tenfold. He couldn’t possibly have the time to look through each of them, not to forget that they had the potential to hide more hunters on the other side. Yeonjun hadn’t had the chance to look at the size of the building from his hiding spot, but he figured it was massive. It must have been the warehouse the Leader had mentioned without a doubt. 

Since Yeonjun didn’t have a clue of what could lie within the warehouse, he would have no choice but to rely on his nose to guide him through. Like the rest of their senses, shifters’ sense of smell was heightened compared to regular humans. It did quite resemble their animal counterpart. Being a nearly fully trained hunter, his was even more honed than any other member of his clan. 

Yeonjun opened the first door to his right, just wide enough that he could slip his nose past the threshold. When he took a deep breath, he could feel nothing more than the regular stench of humans.

It was silly, when he thought about it. When they were ambushed, back in the forest, neither him nor his friends had smelled the hunters coming. Right now, as he could finally properly realize how much they reeked, it really did surprise him. There was no doubt that hunters used some scent blockers of sorts to be able to bypass their weaknesses. How much did humans really know about them? How could they properly produce something so effective? If Yeonjun was to ever get back home alive, he would have to notify the Council about this.

There were one or two doors that were harder to open than the others, needing Yeonjun to ram his shoulder into them in order to make them budge. He later realized that they must have been held shut by a lock. Thankfully, they had nothing on his strength. 

This little scenting game of his lasted nearly until the very end of the hallway. Yeonjun’s every step felt heavier than the one that came before, and he was slowly sweating through his shirt. Luckily, the warehouse did seem to be empty. Humans really were daytime creatures, he thought. As Yeonjun was starting to lose hope, he caught a very familiar scent.

Every shifter did have a slightly different smell. They didn’t smell of anything specific like flowers or fruits, but the scents of his people were pleasant to him nonetheless. Yeonjun couldn’t exactly put a name on each different one, but he knew instinctively to recognize them. At first, it was hard to detect under the heavy scent of sickness and despair, but once he finally detected it, Yeonjun quickly slipped through the door. 

Almost faint, but still noticeable, was the distressed scent of his best friend.

Yeonjun looked around him. His surroundings were quite dark, but he still could make out some evident shapes. The room was neither large nor small, but the shocking number of cages stacked inside of it made it feel extremely cramped. The cages themselves were quite a sight to behold, even if the vast majority of them remained empty. They weren’t even big enough for someone to stand up inside. They also looked dirty, like no one bothered to clean them up when they were unoccupied. Just imagining himself trapped behind these bars had Yeonjun breathing heavier. How long had his friends stayed there?

He swallowed audibly, taking a moment to regain his composure. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he noticed a figure hunched over itself in a cage on ground level, almost hidden at the very back of the room. Yeonjun breathed in hard again, and sure enough-

“Soobin?”

The figure stirred slightly, its head raising up. Yeonjun gasped. 

“Soobin!”

It was only as he was falling to his knees in front of the cage that he realized he had moved across the room. The sight of Soobin in such a state was enough to make each and everyone of his thoughts float away like smoke. 

Soobin looked terrible, to say the least. His hair was greasy and tangled, falling into his bloodshot eyes. The dark circles lying underneath looked painful, his skin so pale in contrast to them. He was wearing nothing short of rags and looked to be extremely uncomfortable where he was kneeling. When he noticed Yeonjun gaping down at him, Soobin had a small smile.

“Yeonjun.”

His voice was breazy, quiet. Yeonjun had to strain his ears to even hear it. 

“What did they do to you?”

Soobin sighed, raising a hand to grip one of the cage bars. Yeonjun caught it halfway up, grasping it with his own. 

“I don’t want to tell you…”

“Why not?”

“It hurts, Yeonjun.” Soobin’s voice cracked, and Yeonjun nodded frantically. 

“Yeah yeah, I’m so sorry, I…” He breathed hard. “I shouldn’t have asked. I’m going to get you out of here, you hear me?”

“How?” Soobin’s eyes were filled with something else than tears, something that looked close to hope. His grip on Yeonjun’s hand was surprisingly strong when his whole body appeared as fragile as a house of cards. 

“I don’t know yet,” Yeonjun wiped at his wet cheeks, sniffling. “Just… let me think for a minute, okay?”

Soobin nodded. Yeonjun wanted to scream out in anguish. So far, his mind had been set in finding his friends. To be frank, he never actually thought he would have made it this far. He looked at the cage door, but saw no lock that he could tamper with. It must have been something technological. As his eyes swept over the metal bars, he caught sight of a small plaque at the bottom right of the door.  _ B-19. _

“Where are the others?” Yeonjun suddenly asked, looking back at Soobin. “Taehyun? Beomgyu? Kai?”

“I don’t... I don’t really know…” Soobin coughed, interrupting himself. “They taunted us with some transactions, probably some shady business. I-“ he gulped. Yeonjun waited patiently. “They are selling us to the highest bidder. They each left one by one over the days. I don’t know where they are now.”

“Do you know how they open the cages?” Yeonjun really did not want to think about his people being sold like some contraband, much less those closest to him. He knew what Soobin was saying was crucial information, but he didn’t feel quite ready to absorb it yet.

“They always look this way, and then it opens by itself.”

Soobin was pointing to their left, and Yeonjun turned to face it. At the very far end of the room, a huge mirror covered the wall in its entirety. Yeonjun found it odd, but he then remembered something he had read in a human book once. 

“It’s a one way mirror,” he said, turning back to Soobin. “There’s another room behind it.”

“A one way mirror?”

“Yes.” Yeonjun smiled softly. “You see, on one side, it’s perfectly normal, but on the other, you can see through it. It’s like a hidden window.”

“So… the people in there can watch without us knowing they’re there?” Soobin licked his lips. They looked painfully dry, and Yeonjun wondered when was the last time someone he had had something to drink. Or to eat.

“Exactly.”

“Could there be… Could there be someone there? Right now?”

Yeonjun frowned. “I don’t think so. I smelled every room on my way to here. The whole building is empty.”

“It’s suspicious.”

“We  _ have _ been told that humans aren’t the brightest bunch.”

Soobin grinned back at him. Yeonjun felt his heart flutter. 

“I need to leave you here for a moment,” he breathed out. “I’m going to search through that room. Maybe there are commands to make those stupid doors open, and that’s why the people coming to you were sending signs through that mirror.”

“Right,” Soobin nodded. “Please be careful.”

“Of course.”

Letting go of Soobin’s hand was harder than Yeonjun would have liked to admit. When he left the room, he couldn’t help sneaking a last glance at Soobin. He looked terribly small and frail, kneeling on the hard floor of his cage. Yeonjun hated that look. He wanted to do everything he could to give Soobin his strength and poise back.

His body shook with tension as he opened the door to the room behind the mirror. It seemed to have been one of the doors Yeonjun ended up forcing open, so he knew something important was indeed hiding behind it. Thankfully, the room was still empty. Upon closer look, he noticed a control board sitting underneath the now transparent mirror, the buttons on it glowing softly in the dark. Foregoing the chair placed in front of it, Yeonjun put his hands on the board and leaned his weight against the surface. 

A large portion of the board consisted of small red buttons with a code above them. Starting from  _ A-11,  _ the codes went all the way to  _ B-29 _ . Finding the key to Soobin’s cage wouldn’t be hard at all, fortunately. Yeonjun’s finger hovered over the  _ A-19  _ button as he looked back at the dark room through the glass. The cages all seemed to be empty aside from Soobin’s, where he was still half laying down. Yeonjun felt partly relieved at that, but he did not let himself think too much about the implication behind the empty room.

Yeonjun pressed hard on the button and left without much thought.

When he came back to the room, Soobin was already standing up on shaky legs. He ran up to him, putting an arm around Soobin’s shoulder. Soobin pushes him away without malice. “I’m alright,” he said. Yeonjun nodded, and they left the room. Soobin seemed to have gained a bit of his strength back, as he did not look seconds away from keeling over anymore. Still, Yeomjun worried.

Walking pass all of those doors still felt as stressful as it had been half an hour ago. This time again, Yeonjun’s finger itched to open some of them on their way out, if only to scope out if any important piece of information could lie within. There was still a chance other shifters were captured and trapped inside, but as sad as it made him, Yeonjun knew he couldn’t save all of them. He could barely afford to save Soobin. 

When they arrived in the locker room, Yeonjun took one look at Soobin’s dirty garbs, before he opened the first locker he saw. 

“What are you doing?” Soobin asked. 

“I’m finding you clothes. You can’t go out like this.”

After going through a few lockers, Yeonjun was able to find a shirt and a pair of jeans that could fit his friend. Soobin found a pair of boots sitting on a metal rack. When Soobin shed the ruined clothes he was wearing, Yeonjun took it upon himself to throw them in the garbage bin sitting in the corner of the room, leaving him a little bit of privacy. Nudity wasn’t rare in the clan, as shifters changed form while being naked, but Yeonjun figured his friend needed a moment for himself after everything.

“I’m surprised they even gave you clothes,” he commented.

“Yeah,” Soobin sighed. “Me too.”

Yeonjun’s eyes caught on the rack of weapons. Small boxes of what seemed to be ammunition were piled up just underneath. He crouched down in front of them, opening the cardboard flops. 

“What are you doing?”

Yeonjun did not answer. Instead, he tugged his backpack from his shoulders and zipped it open, emptying boxes upon boxes inside of it. The bullets made loud clinking noises as they collided against each other.

“Yeonjun?”

He stood up, beckoning Soobin to follow him through the door leading back to the garage. Soobin followed him with raised brows, still closing the last few buttons of the blue shirt that was draped on his shoulders. 

“We’re going to get rid of them.”

The garage appeared smaller with Soobin by his side. Although Yeonjun still didn’t know where to go from where they were, he didn’t feel as lost as before. 

“Taking a car would be so much faster,” Soobin commented.

“If only one of us knew how to drive, that is.”

There were two big mechanical doors leading to the outside, but Yeonjun didn’t trust himself working on most technological devices. It wasn’t their strong point in the village. Not to say that they lived in a prehistoric way, but the clan didn’t really see the use of ‘technological distractions’, as some of the oldest people called them. They had electricity, as well as running water and kitchen appliances, but that was about it.

They did find a smaller door leading to the outside. It was locked, but Yeonjun made quick work of opening it. As he pulled on Soobin’s hand to lead him outside, he heard the dreadful noise of rocks crunching underneath tires. They looked at each other with wide eyes, before they started running into the dark. 

Luckily, Yeonjun realized quickly that the warehouse was located a mere hundred meters away from what looked like a small forest, though only on one side. They reached the tree line right as yet another pick up truck reached the huge garage doors.

“C’mon,” Yeonjun said, beckoning Soobin closer. His friend seemed to be deep in thoughts as he looked back at the warehouse. It really was immense, as Yeonjun expected when he was still inside. “We can’t stay here, they’ll come looking quick enough.”

As they started to run between the trees, Yeonjun allowed himself to smile in relief. He knew that there was still a long way to go, and that rescuing Taehyun, Kai and Beomgyu wouldn’t be nearly as easy as rescuing Soobin had been, but at least he wasn’t alone anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is going to get heavier as we go on, so if I forget to tag something, don't hesitate to tell me about it! You can also find me on [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/namustits) if you want to come say hi.


	3. Showstopper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t think we will be disappointed after all,” Soobin breathed.  
> “Make some noise for the Golden Jaguar!”  
> After a triumphant music, the ring leader disappeared, making place for Beomgyu. Yeonjun clenched his fists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw // in this chapter for mention of blood and implied animal abuse
> 
> This chapter was supposed to be up way earlier but life got in the way let's say...

“We should call home.”

Yeonjun looked up from where he was washing his face in the small brook, water dripping into his eyes from his soaking fringe. “Call home?”

Soobin seemed lost in thoughts. He was freshly washed, his stolen clothes sticking to his still wet skin. Yeonjun had finally been able to see just what exactly his capture had done to him. He appeared malnourished and dehydrated but still seemed to grow stronger by the minute. Arguably, Soobin wouldn’t be better until he had slept a few hours at least, but he seemed far from sleepy. “Yeah.”

“You are aware that I wasn’t exactly allowed to leave in the first place, right?”

After they had ran away from the warehouse for almost an hour, they had finally settled down near a source of running water. While he was understandably exhausted, Soobin had still immediately laid down into the shallow water for a less than pleasant soak. Yeonjunhad sat on a nearby rock, telling him of what had happened in the village while they were all gone. Yeonjun hadn’t asked Soobin any questions. He figured his friend would speak about what happened to him once he deemed himself ready.

“I know but… maybe if they see you succeeded with me?”

Telephones weren’t commonly found in the village, since everyone and everything was only a short walk away. They did have one landline that was primarily used for emergencies with clan members outside of the territory. Yeonjun had never bothered to memorize it since he never would have thought of going so far away from his own, but he wouldn’t be surprised if Soobin had. He had always been responsible and prepared for any situation. Him being captured was extremely surprising, to say the least.

“Soobin…” Yeonjun sighed. “I doubt they’ll help us. They’ll probably only send people to drag us back home, and that is only if we’re lucky.”

Soobin bit his lip, visibly wanting to answer, but eventually decided to stay silent. Yeonjun stood up, climbing the small hill so he could offer Soobin a hand. When they were both standing up, Yeonjun smiled. “We should get some rest. Tomorrow won’t be an easy day either.”

“Yeah,” Soobin agreed. “We‘ll figure out a plan later.”

They both stripped and stuffed their clothes into Yeonjun’s backpack, before shifting into their other form. Whereas Yeonjun’s fur was a soft sandy brown, Soobin’s panther was black as night, a stark contrast to his kind self. It made it that much easier to blend in with the darkness. Yeonjun had always found his friend’s other form captivating. It radiated a strong sort of grace. Soobin had always carried himself like a leader when donning his fur. There was no doubt in Yeonjun’s mind that he would be a great successor to his father.

They climbed up on a nearby tree that looked strong enough for both of them, each settling on a different branch. Yeonjun dragged his backpack with him to make sure their traces were as covered as they could be. Sleeping in their other form would bring them warmth and subtlety. Until the morning would come, they should be safe.

____

When Yeonjun shifted back into his human form, the blood that was splattered over his fur stuck to his bare skin without a fault. As he fell to his knees on the side of the brook, he looked back at Soobin. His friend was equally as dirty as him, with blood on the side of his face. 

They had woken up at the first few rays of sunlight, leaving the comfort of their tree to hunt for food. Yeonjun hadn’t eaten in almost twelve hours and he knew for a fact that Soobin needed food much more than anything else at that moment. They had preyed on small wildlife, eating a measly breakfast of hares while still in their other form. When they weren’t human, they could afford to ingest raw meat, which was extremely practical in their situation. 

Their hunt had let them almost a mile down the brook. Luckily for them, it seemed to have brought them closer to the city, as Yeonjun could now smell the faintest trace of humans with each gust of warm wind. 

“I forgot how good it was to stretch my legs a bit,” Soobin said as he sat down across Yeonjun. He smiled. Yeonjun distractedly watched him wash the blood from his hands. The water slowly became tinted with little pinkish tendrils.

“I missed you, you know.”

He didn’t actually mean to say it out loud, but seeing Soobin’s smile soften, he was glad he did. He could see his cheeks take on a red hue. “Thank you for coming,” was his only answer.

“You don’t have to thank me,” Yeonjun frowned.

“Then, I want to.”

“Then at least, wait until we’re back home, alright? We aren’t out of the woods yet.”

Soobin shook his head, looking back at him with a heavy gaze. “No, we aren’t.”

The air suddenly felt heavier with something Yeonjun couldn’t identify. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but he found himself desperately searching for something else to say. 

“How do you suggest we proceed from now on?”

Soobin hummed, leaning back on his hands. Yeonjun averted his eyes. There was a little bit too much skin exposed for him to handle properly. “I think I might have an idea of where Beomgyu could be.”

“Really?” There was a splashing sound as Yeonjun sat up a little straighter. 

“Yeah.” Soobin’s hands came up to rub the back of his neck, smearing what little blood was left on them. He seemed distracted, his eyes slightly unfocused. “They taunted him a lot during his last day. Said he was going to be sent where monsters like him belonged.”

Yeonjun clenched his fists, schooling his expression to remain neutral. Each time Soobin mentioned the tiniest bit of how the humans had acted with them, his teeth ached to bite into something. He never was violent, never was aggressive even during hunts, but hearing about the way his friends were mistreated left him in a daze. How could they be called monsters when humans were the ones putting them in cages and selling them off?

Soobin seemed oblivious to his inner conflict. “They said he’ll fit right in with the circus.”

“The circus?”

“Yeah.” Soobin swallowed audibly, looking back at him. “I didn’t think much of it at first, you know. I had a lot of other stuff on my mind, and our cages weren’t close to each other but…”

“That’s already something,” Yeonjun reassured him. “That’s a lead, an important one at that.”

“So what? We have to look into every circus for him? He could be halfway across the world right now.”

“Possibly,” Yeonjun shrugged. “But not all circuses are travelling ones. Maybe there’s even one super close to here.”

“How lucky would we be.” Soobin forced out a laugh. “It would be way too easy.”

“Even if it’s nearby, that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to get him out.”

“I know.”

Soobin already looked so defeated and they hadn’t even begun their search yet. Yeonjun figured lingering on the topic would do nothing good. They would need to discuss it and figure out a plan later but for now, they could afford to forget about it for a few minutes.

“Here,” he said, gesturing for Soobin to come closer with a tilt of his head. “You have blood on the back of your neck. I’ll get it for you.”

Soobin shuffled forward, turning his body so his back would face Yeonjun. He was slightly slouched, which gave the latter perfect access to his broad back. Yeonjun tried to settle his legs so they wouldn’t be too much in Soobin’s personal space, although he could still feel the brush of his thighs against his. He carefully lifted his hands. They were wet with water from the brook. 

“You can touch me, you know,” Soobin said softly. He craned his neck to look back at him. “You were the one to offer, after all.”

Yeonjun nodded wordlessly and started slowly scrubbing at the skin of Soobin’s neck. He still was gentle in his movements, concerned by his friend’s state. He could feel each and every knob his spine formed on his back, and his ribs were protruding. Soobin had always been thin, but this was almost too much for Yeonjun’s eyes.

When the blood was nearly all gone, Yeonjun took note of the goosebumps spreading across his friend’s skin. “Is the water too cold?” he asked with a frown. They were in the middle of the summer. It felt quite pleasant on his skin, but maybe Soobin felt uncomfortable. 

“What?” he answered. “No, not at all, why do you ask?”

“Nothing, I thought I saw you shiver, that’s all.”

Soobin tensed up, then took Yeonjun’s arm, leading it away from his back. He cleared his throat. “Thank you for helping me. I think we shouldn’t linger around for much longer.” Soobin stood up and offered Yeonjun a hand. When they were both on their feet, they searched Yeonjun’s backpack for their clothes.

Yeonjun was putting his pants on when Soobin spoke up. He was still crouched in front of the bag, his brows furrowed as he was looking into it. 

“What were you planning on doing with these?”

Yeonjun walked closer. The light caught onto something metallic inside, making it shine slightly. The bullets.

“Do you think we’ll come back here again?”

Soobin looked up at him. “I don’t think so. The hunters will probably search through this forest for a few days. It would be dangerous to come back, or even stay here longer.”

Yeonjun hummed. “Thought so.”

He gripped the bag and walked towards a nearby bush. He then unceremoniously dumped the content of his bag on the ground, crouching down afterwards to make sure each and every bullet stayed hidden out of sight between the tall grass and the leaves.

“That settles it,” Yeonjun said, whipping his hands against one another. “They won’t be of any use where they are.”

When Yeonjun looked back over his shoulder, Soobin was smiling at him. The thought of not seeing simple happiness on Soobin’s face as the danger came closer saddened him. He shivered, shouldering his backpack.

“Ready?” he called.

“Ready.”

They started walking towards where their noses guided them, making sure the brook was always in their sight. Having a landmark to situate themselves was a smart decision. The human smell was already strong from where they were. Following it to the source would be an easy task.

___

As much as he liked to think his imagination was one of his best attributes, none of Yeonjun’s wildest dreams could ever come close to what simply being in a human city felt like.

Everything felt sticky, from the air to the taste in his mouth as he breathed in. People were carelessly walking around, some lazily and some purposefully. Yeonjun felt them brush against him every so often. No one really apologized. The buildings were taller than anything he had ever seen before, the top of the highest ones seemingly reaching out to the clouds as if they wanted to tickle them. It felt stifling, but so amazing at the same time.

The forest led them towards a strange industrial area. It was filled with metal and a distinctive iron smell that Yeonjun immediately hated. From then on, it was only a few hours walk until they had reached what seemed to be the heart of the city. The distance had seemed so much bigger than a casual stroll across their huge territory, although Yeonjun was sure it was actually smaller.

Human cities felt bizarre. Yeonjun didn’t quite know if he should hate them or not. 

So far, they had seen no signs of a circus. They hadn’t actually gathered the courage to ask any of the locals for information. They were both already overwhelmed enough as it was. 

Soobin wasn’t any better than Yeonjun. He too would sometimes stop dead in his tracks to look around him in awe, uncaring of the stares humans sent their way as they blocked their path. Yeonjun found it extremely endearing. 

“We really are lost,” Soobin announced as they were both sitting on a bench, admiring the busy street. They were resting their tired feet after exhausting themselves all day. Soobin was particularly battered. The boots he had found back in the warehouse were slightly too tight for him and they were rubbing his feet raw. It was a far cry from Yeonjun’s comfortable hiking boots. 

“We really are,” Yeonjun agreed. Still, none of them made a move, content to stay exactly where they were. It was already past noon. Yeonjun was beginning to feel hungry, and he could hear Soobin’s stomach rumbling from time to time. 

“Who’s going to ask first?”

Yeonjun sighed, closing his eyes. “If you do it, I’ll catch a whole deer for you when we get back home.”

“You’ve never caught a deer all by yourself before,” Soobin huffed. “I don’t buy it.”

“I’ll do it for you.”

They looked back at each other, although it wasn’t long before Soobin averted his gaze. Yeonjun thought he saw red creeping up on the top of his ears.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

Soobin stood up and walked closer to a woman sitting nearby, a book on her lap. She looked quite startled when Soobin touched her shoulder without warning. Yeonjun thought this interaction was not going to end well.

The more Soobin spoke, the more she seemed to relax. She even had a small laugh once. Yeonjun frowned. When Soobin came back, a winning smile on his face, he stood up without missing a beat. 

“So, how did it go?” 

“That was… something. It actually wasn’t so hard after all.”

Yeonjun nodded distractedly, looking back at the woman. He caught her staring back at Soobin, and his own grin curdled. He took his friend’s arm, gently leading him away from the benches.

“Did you get directions?”

“Yeah.” Soobin looked a bit confused. “Don’t you want to wait for me to tell you where to go before leaving?”

“Huh.” Yeonjun’s mind blanked. Why was he leading them away in the first place? “Right.”

Soobin laughed. “Apparently, there  _ is _ a circus in this city, so we’re extremely lucky.” 

“That we are.” Yeonjun couldn’t believe it. He felt like this whole mission was ending up being way too easy. Wouldn’t that just mean the danger would only come back with a vengeance? He didn’t really want to think about it. These days, Yeonjun felt like he did his best to ignore a lot of things.

“We just have to find the marina. Apparently there’s a huge arena over there. That’s where we want to go.”

“Did you get directions for the marina?”

Soobin shrugged. “I figured we could use our nose. This can be a hunting exercise, right?” At Yeonjun’s answering sigh, Soobin let out a laugh. “Besides, I reckon typical circus shows start at night. We still have all day.”

And follow their nose, they did. Trying to navigate through the busy streets was far more difficult than Yeonjun would have liked to admit but somehow, they made it work. After being distracted time and time again by flashing lights, display windows and strangely, a handful of very insistent mascots, they managed to stay safe and sound. 

Yeonjun did almost get hit by a car during a moment of inattention, but Soobin was quick to react and get him out of the street before it was too late. The blush on Yeonjun’s cheeks lingered on for a little too long.

When the earthy smell of the lake finally became so strong Yeonjun could almost feel it on his tongue, they reached a sitting area overlooking shimmering water. There were dozens of boats accosted to many different docks, each seemingly more unique than the other. The sunlight reflecting from the lake had Yeonjun cover his eyes with a hand, the other gripping the balustrade in front of him.

“Wow,” Soobin breathed out.

“Yeah,” Yeonjun agreed wordlessly. 

“I bet this would look so pretty at sunset.”

And it would. Yeonjun could imagine it. The pretty pink hue the still water would take when the boats still lingering in the middle of the lake would eventually come back to the docks. He could imagine the multitudes of shades high up in the sky, imagine the warmth both the water and the clouds would exude. 

There was not really any large body of water up in the mountain. They did have rivers and streams running across their territory, but seeing this much water in one place was a first for Yeonjun. It felt wordlessly beautiful. 

A rather big building slightly to the side caught Yeonjun’s attention. There seemed to be little kiosks all around it, the entire area filled with colours and advertisements. Some people were lined up in a queue in front of what must have been the entrance. “Do you think this is it?” he asked, pointing for Soobin to see.

Soobin leaned over the balustrade to get a better look. The lazy wind came to ruffle the hair on his forehead. “Let’s get closer.”

They left the sitting area, following a street that was built on a slope. When they got to the marina, they followed the crowd of people moving towards what they could now see was the arena.

“So what now?” asked Yeonjun in a low voice. He felt uncomfortable with the large number of people around them. He didn’t like the fact that he was being touched, albeit accidentally, every other minute. 

“We just queue in for a ticket.”

“With what money?”

Soobin patted the pocket of his pants, a mischievous smile on his face. “Before we left the locker room, I looked around for spare cash some people left.” 

Yeonjun looked at him with barely concealed awe. “You are a genius.” He had hardly thought about money when planning his escape. It was just something that stupidly never crossed his mind. He had been a fool, considering how much the human world was run by it. 

They walked until they were at the edge of the queue. It became evident to Yeonjun how popular the circus was in this city. It seemed to stretch on for miles but was moving fluidly. He could feel the excitement bubbling up in the air. For him, it was nervousness. He didn’t know what would be worse; to see Beomgyu inside, or to find out he had been moved further away?

At the very beginning of the queue was a booth of some sort. A rather bored looking man stood inside of it. Yeonjun figured this was where they were supposed to purchase their tickets. He elbowed Soobin in the ribs.

“What was that for?” he groaned. 

Yeonjun ignored him. “Who’s gonna talk?”

“I asked for directions earlier.”

“The money is in  _ your  _ pockets.”

“I could give it to you.”

“I’ll give you another deer.”

Soobin blinked at him before groaning. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

By the time they were done arguing, there were only a few people left ahead of them. Yeonjun could see Soobin readying himself from the corner of his eyes, squaring his shoulders. He bit back a smile.

Suddenly, they were in front of the ticket booth. Since Soobin seemed momentarily frozen in place, Yeonjun (gently) shoved him forwards. 

“Hi,” Soobin stuttered out without a fault. “Two tickets please.” 

The man behind the window looked at them warily, before he looked back at his computer screen. Soobin cleared his throat. “This is gonna be,” he trailed off, looking behind the man for a price chart. “How much?” 

“40,000 ₩ per person.” His voice had a weird ring to it, one Yeonjun could not identify. He looked at Yeonjun while Soobin raffled through his pockets nervously. He had just started pulling up bills underneath the window when the guy handed out their two tickets. “This will do. Have a nice show.”

Seeing as Soobin once again seemed to be frozen in place, Yeonjun took him by the arm to lead him inside the building. A cool draft came to meet them as they stepped through the door, making them both shiver from the sharp contrast. Yeonjun was quite confused by this whole interaction. However, before he could talk to Soobin about it, someone spoke out to them.

“Show me your tickets,” said a lady just behind the entrance. 

Which they proceeded to do. She directed them towards the right, where a door was waiting for them at the end of the corridor. As Yeonjun set aside the dark curtain, he could finally understand why every visitor seemed to be glowing with excitement.

Beyond the curtain was an immense ring lit up by a strong string of light on ground level. While most of the space around was taken by rows upon rows of seats, a mural was taking up an entire wall. On it was depicted a dream-like scene, with colourful and vaporous swirls, as well as splatters of stars against the overall dark background. 

“Wow,” Soobin breathed out. 

“Yeah,” Yeonjun agreed. 

They stayed at the entrance admiring the room until a couple appeared behind them, forcing them to go and find their seat. Surprisingly, it was not that difficult, and they soon found themselves sitting comfortably, waiting for the show to start.

There was not any prop out on the stage yet, but there was an intricate metal piece hanging over the center of the building. It was round and made up of artistically intertwined metal hoops. There was a luminous orb within it, bathing the dim room in a soft glow. 

Yeonjun found himself hypnotized by it, incapable of looking away as he spoke up again.

“I really don’t know what to expect.”

“I’m scared,” Soobin admitted. 

Yeonjun sighed. On a whim, he decided to take Soobin’s hand into his. To comfort him. “Me too.”

Soobin intertwined their fingers, and that was that.

They waited and waited as the seats quickly filled up. Soon enough, all of the remaining lighting shut down, and the show began.

It was undeniably entertaining at first. Different acts came and went, each seemingly more dangerous and exotic than the one that came before. There were people hanging from the ceilings from lengthy fabrics and high trapeze, as well as contortionist and mighty animals. 

Yeonjun watched with a warm feeling in his chest as Soobin awed and laughed in wonder. Then came what they dreaded the most.

The ring leader stepped back into the middle of the ring, microphone in hand. He looked into the crowd, mysterious and ungiving. “Now, as we are naught but a step away from our final act, prepare to be blown away.” His voice echoed across the arena as the public exchanged hushed whispers. Yeonjun gripped Soobin’s hand tighter. 

“Ladies and gents, let me introduce you to our pièce de résistance, our very own, very new jewel straight of the wild.”

“I don’t think we will be disappointed after all,” Soobin breathed.

“Make some noise for the Golden Jaguar!”

After a triumphant music, the ring leader disappeared, making place for Beomgyu. Yeonjun clenched his fists.

Beomgyu was dressed in a sparkly loose shirt with a pattern emulating the fur of his other form. He walked towards the Center of the ring, a leash on his neck and a trainer by his side. It took Soobin taking his hand for Yeonjun to stop growling.

Normally, shifters took pride in their other form, their name and their lineage being worn on their very skin on the daily. However, there was nothing prideful in Beomgyu’s stage name. It sounded crass, like he was nothing but an object to flaunt and parade. And perhaps that was all he was to the humans. A foreign trinket to show and gain wealth.

Beomgyu stopped when the trainer tugged harshly on his leash. His hands went to grip the collar biting into his skin, but the trainer tugged again and he dropped them. They exchanged a look, before Beomgyu dropped to his knees and shifted. 

The audience let out a collective gasp. Beomgyu really was beautiful. He always had been, but the stage lights, the ethereal music and artificial magical ambiance of the circus made him stand out even more. 

The trainer took a few steps back, the leash allowing her to still keep control of Beomgyu even from a distance. Then, the ground suddenly caught fire, forming a not so large circle surrounding the shifter. The flames made the gold of his fur stand out that much more. He looked as if he was molten gold, moving fluidly and shining like the stars at midnight.

Beomgyu flaunted a little bit more, letting the audience admire the beauty of his other form, before he braced himself, legs bent and tail moving elegantly behind him. He took off into a short run. Yeonjun gasped.

Just as he was about to touch the fire, Beomgyu jumped, the flames barey tickling his underbelly. When he landed, the audience erupted in cheers. Before long, the trainer was tugging on his leash yet again, guiding him into walking around the ring.

They made him do simple and basic tricks, but it was clear to see that he wasn’t as well trained as the other acts that came before him. However, it was not why he had been brought out there. More than half of his number laid in his ability to shift. It’s uniqueness and exotic aspect were what were showcased, not his other abilities.

Beomgyu did not stay on stage for very long. Soon, he was brought back behind the mural to the sound of deafening applause. Yeonjun let out a breath.

“Now that we know he’s here,” Soobin said, face white as a sheet. “What do you suggest we do?”

Yeonjun didn’t even have to answer as someone shook his shoulder from behind. He turned around, a scowl on his face when-

“Hey, I can help you guys.”

It was the guy from the ticket booth, sitting in the empty seat behind them. He looked a bit nervous, his hand hovering above Yeonjun’s shoulder. Yeonjun had the urge to growl again.

“What do you mean?” Soobin asked. His brows were furrowed, and he was twisted in his seat to better see the man.

“I know what you’re here for.”

Yeonjun’s eyes widened. They were already discovered? He didn’t think they had been that obvious, but maybe…

“Don’t be afraid! Can we please move somewhere else though? And fast?”

Yeonjun exchanged a look with Soobin. He too looked equally as nervous, but he took his hand and nodded. They did not have a rescue plan. Anything that would come their way could not put them in a worse situation than they currently were. “Yeah, we’re coming.”

They quickly got up and followed the guy, who sported a look of relief on his face. Yeonjun didn’t know if he could trust him. In fact, he was reluctant to follow him, but he figured that with two shifters against one rather small human could easily hold their ground. That was if he really was alone and wasn’t leading them straight into an ambush.

The man led them out of the main room and through a door that led underneath the seats. Then, in the blink of an eye, they were standing in an empty corridor, the bright neon lights a stark contrast with the darkness around the stage. Yeonjun noticed he was carrying a back across one shoulder. He was still wearing the same uniform as when he was still manning the ticket booth.

“I know you have a lot of questions,” he told them in a low voice. “But I can only answer some of them.”

Yeonjun cut straight to the point. “Can you lead us to Beomgyu?”

He bit his lip. “Yes,” he admitted, “but there are a few things you need to know first.” He looked around quickly, before he started to walk again, motioning for them to follow. 

“How did you know we were here for him?” Soobin asked warily. 

“You escaped from the hunters warehouse, right?” Soobin nodded. “Well, they posted a picture of you on the Internet this afternoon. Said you were dangerous and had ill intentions, and that you had to be caught and taken back.”

“What?” Yeonjun spluttered. He could feel his anger simmering in his belly. It had never stopped rising since he had seen Beomgyu walk on that stage like nothing more than a show dog. “That’s not true at all!”

“I know that, which is why I decided to help you.”

“This still doesn’t tell us why you know we were here for Beomgyu,” Soobin said.

“Well,” he laughed. “A shifter arrives less than a week ago and suddenly, a recently escaped one comes to our doorstep to watch a circus show when he is clearly wanted? This isn’t rocket science.”

They could hear the cheering getting louder and louder above them. Yeonjun knew they didn’t have much time. The show was about to end, after all. “So what does that mean?” he asked. “If you could recognize us, does that mean even more people could turn us in?”

“Oh, that is a possibility for sure. You guys should try to be more careful.”

“We can’t afford to be careful, we need to bring back our people home.”

Seeing Yeonjun’s scowl, the man looked uncomfortable. “Of course, I’m sorry if that came out wrong.”

Before Yeonjun could add anything else, Soobin spoke up. “Don't humans know what hunters do is wrong? We’re not dangerous, they are the one that are chasing and trafficking us.”

“Buying shifters isn’t exactly legal,” he admitted. “But it’s not illegal either.”

“What?”

“What I mean is that…” He stopped them in front of a door at the end of the corridor. Looking down at the watch on his wrists, he muttered quick words to himself. “There aren't any laws surrounding shifters, because you guys are so secluded.”

Soobin scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. We are secluded  _ because _ of things like this.”

“I know. It’s different in some other countries but here…” He shrugged. “This is the way it is. People let hunters be because there is a market for it, and as long as they are more or less subtle about it, the government doesn’t do anything. The general public still sees you as dangerous beasts. There is nothing much to do.”

“For now,” Yeonjun mumbled.

“For now,” the man agreed.

He pushed the door and ushered them both inside. He led them again through a few other narrow hallways and locked doors before they finally found themselves in a rather large storage room. It was full of props and cages with various sad looking animals that Yeonjun remembered seeing out on the ring. His heart ached for them.

“Beomgyu is here?” he asked.

“Follow me.”

As they walked further into the room, Yeonjun spotted a cage that was slightly different than the others. It held a human instead of an animal. “Here!”

He ran, throwing caution to the wind. The figure inside the cage was startled by his cry and looked up.

“Yeonjun!”

As he came to a stop in front of the cage, Yeonjun could properly see Boemgyu’s state. Unexpectedly, he didn’t look extremely bad. He had lost a bit of weight but didn’t seem nearly as bad as Soobin had been. Beomgyu was dressed in simple clothes, worlds away from his obnoxious stage outfit. His eyes sparkled upon seeing both Soobin and Yeonjun come to his rescue. 

“How are you both even here?”

“We had some help,” Soobin said, pointing to the man behind them. Beomgyu smiled even wider. 

“Minsoo!”

“You know him?” Yeonjun asked, dumbfounded.

“Of course! He brings me snacks sometimes.” 

Yeonjun looked back at Minsoo, who sported a small blush visible even in the darkness. He seemed far more complicated than he had let on at first. Yeonjun didn’t quite know what to think about him, but he did seem nice enough. “Do you have the keys?”

Minsoo nodded, stepping forward to unlock Beomgyu’s cage. Yeonjun did not even question it. 

“Wait,” Soobin said. “We didn’t have enough money for the tickets, right? You let us pass through anyway.” Minsoo didn’t say a thing. His silence was an answer in itself.

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need,” he mumbled, fiddling with the lock.

As soon as the door was even slightly open, Beomgyu burst through the cage and enveloped both his friends in a bone crushing hug. “I’m so glad you both are safe,” he said in a small voice. “We didn’t know what had happened to you, Yeonjun. We were so worried.”

Yeonjun did not let himself dwell on that thought for too long. He swallowed around the lump in his throat, hugging Beomgyu back even tighter than before. 

Eventually, Soobin looked back at Minsoo, a grateful smile on his face. “Thank you for everything, once again.”

“Of course.” He seemed to hesitate, hands in the pockets of his pants in an awkward fashion. “Listen,” Minsoo sighed. “There’s still some other stuff you need to know.”

Yeonjun, albeit reluctantly, untangled himself from his friends’ embrace. “Please, go ahead.”

Minsoo took out a few things from the shoulder bag he was carrying. First, he gave them each a face mask. “This,” he said at their puzzled look, “you put it on your face so you can’t be recognized. I don’t know how quick your pictures are gonna circulate, and whether or not the public will report you, but you can never be sure.”

“Alright.” 

Minsoo nodded, before he held out a flyer to them. “There’s a fighting ring a few towns over. It’s underground and illegal, but still easily accessible.”

“What does this have to do with us?” Beomgyu asked, taking the flyer into his hand. He had one arm still around Soobin, reluctant to let go just yet.

“There’s always some shifters there, they’re like the most loved attraction.”

“I see.”

“Since, you know…” Minsoo trailed off, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s really physically hard and dangerous, they don’t stay there very long, so there’s always new shifters coming in. You might find one of your friends there.” 

Yeonjun drew in a shaky breath, closing his eyes. He figured he would never stop being appalled at what the humans allowed themselves to do to them.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Jump to Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Leave it another half an hour, then he’ll get roughed up a little. That always brings in more money.” She laughed, seemingly not noticing their looks of horror. “Then, if you guests are generous to me,” she pointed to herself, then at Taehyun down in the ring, “and to him, he’ll get a chance to fight back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this is where things get harder

It felt almost familiar, washing himself in a water source after a long day in the human world. It could have brought him a sense of security, the pattern that was slowly moulding itself into his life, if it wasn’t for the utter vulnerability this place was leaving them in. 

After having tipped them on the fighting ring, Minsoo had taken out one last thing from his bag, shoving it into Soobin’s hand that wasn’t occupied with holding Beomgyu. An envelope, filled to the brim with money bills. “This is…” had trailed Soobin, looking up at Minsoo. “This is too much. We can’t take all of that.”

“Please, take it.” Minsoo had looked around, before pointing to a spot in the corner of the room. Near the ceiling, there was a small rectangular device. A camera. “It’s not mine, and I’m gonna have to leave anyway. They won’t be able to trace me.”

“I…”

“You’re part of something bigger, aren’t you.” The realization was chilling. It had lit up a small flame of hope deep in Yeonjun’s belly. “There are people here who are against trafficking us, right? You couldn’t be helping us right now if you were alone.” 

“Is that true?” Beomgyu had asked with wide eyes. 

Minsoo had only given them a small smile. He had started to walk away, gesturing for them to follow once again. He had led them into the maze of corridors, making sure to avoid the workers moving around the building. This time, when they had finally stopped in front of yet another door, it had led them to a nearly empty parking lot. 

Minsoo had given them a few last pieces of advice for what would later come for them. He had also given Beomgyu his backpack for good measure. They all made sure to thank him profusely, before disappearing for good.

Now, as they prepared themselves to spend yet another night away from the comfort of the village, Yeonjun felt a sense of unease wash over him. He felt exposed, so far away from the forest and so helpless. The bridge over them offered them protection from the elements, but the heavy concrete felt far too cold and lifeless. He missed the branches, the gentle wind swaying of the leaves, the wild animals chattering into the night. 

The city lights still burned bright around them, but the bridge offered shade. It was the only area of darkness between the lampposts lit streets.

“This is not gonna be comfortable,” Beomgyu sighed from a few meters away.

“You should be used to it,” Soobin said. “We’ve been sleeping in cages for over a week.

“Still… I miss my bed.”

“Courage,” Yeonjun said. “We’ll be home sooner than you think.”

“I hope so.”

They had already eaten the snacks Minsoo had left them in his bag. Although his stomach was far from being full, Yeonjun felt content enough. Once again, he inwardly thanked Minsoo’s kindness. Because of him, they would be able to survive out of the woods a few days longer.

Yeonjun stood up from where he was crouched by the riverside and sat down between Beomgyu and Soobin. Beomgyu was already laying down on his side, head cushioned on Minsoo’s bag. 

“So, do we have to wake up early tomorrow?”

Yeonjun snorted. “What do you think? We aren’t on vacation.”

“I was just asking…”

“As soon as the sun rises,” Soobin kindly said, “so will we.” 

“Aw…”

“Did they treat you right? In the circus?”

Beomgyu shrugged, turning over so his back would face them. “I mean, you can get the idea from my number. I was nothing more to them than any other animal in the show.” He sighed, his back rising with the movement. “The performers were treated well. I don’t understand why I wasn’t.”

“Don’t think about it too much.” Soobin shuffled closer, putting a hand on Beomgyu’s shoulder. “It doesn’t matter how they see us. We know our worth.”

“Yeah, we do.” Although, for each of them, it became harder and harder to see it.

As they settled down for the night, Yeonjun noticed Soobin laying his head down on the hard ground. Since they were still in the middle of an urban area, they could not afford to shift into their other form for more warmth and comfort. Yeonjun looked at his own setup, his backpack in the dust where his head would soon rest. He picked it up, shaking Soobin’s shoulder.

“Take this.” 

Soobin looked up at him with a frown. “But what about you?”

Yeonjun held his gaze, unwilling to stand down. He could sense a feeling strangely close to embarrassment rising up in his chest, although he could not tell why. “I’m not the one who slept in a cage for the last week or so.”

“But…”

“You did say so yourself,” Beomgyu pointed out. 

“What?”

“In case you’ve forgotten,” Beomgyu huffed, “I’m still there. Please don’t do this in front of me.”

It was Yeonjun’s turn to frown. “Do what?”

“Oh please, just accept the bag, Soobin. I want to sleep.”

With red cheeks and a mumbled ‘thank you’, Soobin took the bag and settled down once again. Yeonjun laid on his back, smiling up at the concrete ceiling above them. He  _ did _ mull over Beomgyu’s comment before he could fall asleep. What exactly were they doing?

___

Yeonjun could feel something jostling his body from side to side. Groaning, he made to swat away whatever was troubling him, when he suddenly recognized a voice shouting with urgency.

“...jun… Yeonjun!”

_ Soobin. _

Yeonjun opened his eyes with a gasp, sitting up. Soobin was kneeling next to him, both of his hands on his shoulder. There was a frantic look on his face. 

“...st’matter?” he slurred. His vision was still a bit blurry, but he could see that Beomgyu was no longer sleeping beside them. Strangely, it was still dark, aside from the slivers of moonlight coming in from the side of the bridge. 

Soobin bit his lip, eyes drifting away. “We have visitors.”

Yeonjun looked over Soobin’s shoulder and sure enough, there seemed to be a group of people with them under the bridge. Beomgyu was standing in front of them, shoulders squared. “I see.”

They both stood up. Yeonjun tried his best to blink away his sleepiness. As they came to stand beside him, Beomgyu gave them a grateful look. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t really know, they came while we were sleeping.” 

“And we’re asking you to leave.”

There were four people, three cocky looking boys and a sneering girl. Teens, from the look of it. They were standing in front of them as if they were threatening, fists clenched and a superior air slapped on their face. The one who spoke up was slightly taller than the rest of them and had an ugly smirk on his face. 

“Why would we do that?”

“Because this is our spot, and we don’t appreciate when there’s trash to stink up the place.”

“Hey…” Beomgyu protested. 

“Look,” Soobin interrupted. “We’re sorry to be a bother, but we just want a place to sleep. That’s it. You can stay here too, you won’t even notice we’re here.”

Yeonjun did not like the look on the teen’s face. He could feel the tension in the air, thick enough that he could claw through it. If push came to shove, standing down and finding another location would be the wisest option. They were outnumbered and unable to shift less they foolishly exposed themselves. However, he didn’t know if the teenagers would actually let them go away. They seemed to be purposefully looking for a fight.

“I’m afraid we won’t be able to share,” the girl huffed.

Soobin took a step forward. “But…”

“Listen there, you fucking freak…” 

As one of the teens reached out to grab Soobin’s shirt, Yeonjun stood between both of them, keeping Soobin behind his back. Just as he had feared, the situation was quickly spiraling out of control. “Back off, you idiot.” 

“What did you call me?” The teens’ nostrils were flared, his jaw clenched so hard Yeonjun thought it would crack. 

“Please,” Beomgyu started. “We are just going to be on our way so…” 

But the boy had not stopped moving forward, and Yeonjun made his first mistake of the night. 

Yeonjun reached out a hand, trying to keep the boy away from him. Before his hand could make contact with his shirt, he was thrown aside by a punch coming from his right.

“Yeonjun!”

Stumbling, he gripped his cheek as pain flashed across his whole face. Yeonjun could feel his anger bubbling up closer to the surface. He was tired of being treated like dirt, tired of feeling defenseless. Yeonjun looked up at the teens, who weren’t even trying to hide their laughs. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, seething. 

“Yeonjun, we should…” Beomgyu came beside him to grip his shoulder but Yeonjun shrugged him off. He did not even hear Beomgyu’s resulting protest. The teen who had punched him looked ready to strike again. Yeonjun’s mind went blank and he lashed out with an inhuman hiss. His second mistake.

The boy stumbled back with a hand pressed against his face where blood was slowly trickling from between his fingers. He groaned in pain and his friends catched him, looking at Yeonjun in disbelief. “What the fuck?” 

Yeonjun himself was gaping. He raised his hand in front of his eyes. It was frozen in a partial shift, his fingernails elongating to form sharp claws and fur sparsely crawling across his skin. He gasped, hiding it quickly behind his back. A hand came to grip it with a firm touch. 

“You freak!” cried out the injured teen. “He’s one of those fucking wild monster!”

“What?” said another.

“Let’s just get out of here! They could kill us!”

They scrambled to get away from them, muttering threats under their breath. Thegirl even spat at their feet. When Soobin tightened his grip on his hand to forcefully turn him around, Yeonjun was breathing heavily, his eyes still wide. “What did you do?”

“I… I don’t know!”

“You attacked them!” Beomgyu accused, looking thoroughly confused. “Why did you do that?”

“I don’t know! I just…” Yeonjun looked away, catching one last glimpse of the teenagers running away from them. “I panicked.”

Soobin let him go and went to grab their bags. When he came back to them, his eyes wouldn’t meet Yeonjun’s. “We need to leave. Right now. They could be coming back with police officers or something. We really don’t need that right now.” 

Yeonjun gulped, taking his backpack from Soobin’s outstretched hand. Beomgyu did the same, nodding. “Let’s leave.”

Soobin and Beomgyu started walking without a second thought, stepping out from under the bridge and into the moonlight. Yeonjun scrambled behind them, still not quite certain of what had just happened. “Wait, guys! I’m sorry.”

Soobin sighed, not even stopping. “Let’s just go, Yeonjun.”

It couldn’t have been much later than one in the morning. Yeonjun did not feel that rested, and the sun seemed far from rising. “Where are we even going?” 

Beomgyu and Soobin looked at each other. Beomgyu shrugged. “We’re going to the bus station,” Soobin decided. 

“But it doesn’t open until morning!”

“Then we’ll wait in an alley or something. We can sleep on the ride to the next town.”

Minsoo had explained to them how to get to the city where the fighting ring was operating. He had told them that buying bus tickets would be their best bet, as walking would take a whole day, and a taxi ride would be impossible. 

“Alright,” Yeonjun muttered, looking down at his hand. It was back into its human form, but there were still drops of blood dripping from his fingers. He wiped them against his shirt, hoping its dark color would prevent suspicious stains from appearing. 

___

Just as Soobin had announced, they spent the rest of the night hiding out in an alleyway next to the bus station. The air between the three of them felt quite awkward, frankly, and Yeonjun didn’t know what to do with himself. He had already tried apologizing, but it had fallen flat. Yeonjun felt horribly guilty about the way he had handled the altercation, but the deed was done. The only thing they could do was move forward.

As soon as the bus station door unlocked in the morning, the trio entered without waiting a second longer, making sure to put on their face masks in order to avoid being recognized. They fumbled their way into getting three bus tickets, still not used to calculate human money and navigate through their systems, as simple as they seemed. Eventually, a few hours of wait later, they found themselves sitting on a bus en route to find one of their two remaining missing friends. 

While Beomgyu was sitting on the right, leaning against the window with his eyes closed, Yeonjun chose to sit next to Soobin on the other side of the alley. Yeonjun still felt quite nervous about travelling aboard a moving vehicle, clearly remembering how uncomfortable his last ride had been. Still, he felt exhausted enough that he was sure to be sleeping the entire three ours ride away. Even if the seats weren't exactly comfortable, it couldn’t be worse than the bed of a moving truck.

The bus roared to life. Soobin sat up straighter in his seat. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“What for?”

“For being angry at you. I know it’s not exactly your fault you reacted this way. It wasn’t unprovoked.”

Yeonjun gaped at his friend. “I should be the one apologizing. I put us all in danger.”

Soobin tiredly blinked at him.“We shouldn’t be so harsh on you. You’re as clueless as we are, and you too had a rough time the past few days.”

“That doesn’t excuse…”

“How’s your cheek?” Soobin interrupted. He reached out to touch his, his hand gentle against the bruised skin. He could feel the warmth of his skin even through the fabric between them.

“It’s fine,” Yeonjun shrugged. “It’s only a small hit. I’m tougher than that.”

“Don’t make me laugh. It’s okay to admit that you’re hurt.” Soobin’s eyes crinkled up in a smile. “Even if you feel like you shouldn’t, or that your pain is not as important as others’.”

Yeonjun knew Soobin wasn’t simply speaking about the punch he had received. He raised his hand, putting it against Soobin’s on his cheek. “I’m the oldest,” he said in a quiet voice. “I’m supposed to protect you.”

“As much as your father wants you to believe it, you don’t have to put yourself in danger on purpose simply out of duty.”

Yeonjun closed his eyes, reclining in his seat. He let Soobin’s hand slip from his grip. “This isn’t about my father.”

Soobin sighed, turning to face the window. “You’re right. Let’s just focus on finding Kai and Taehyun.”

The rest of the bus ride went rather smoothly. Even though the motions of the vehicle eventually had nausea rising in Yeonjun’s throat, he was still able to sleep for a couple hours. When they stepped out of the bus, they were as rested as they could have been.

“So, where do we start?” Beomgyu asked. Soobin took out the flyer from his pocket. “It says here that the fights are only on Saturdays. What day are we?”

Yeonjun thought back on the few days he had spent outside the village. “I left in the middle of the night on Wednesday, and the circus show was on Thursday, which means…”

“Which means we are Friday,” Soobin groaned. “So no fights tonight.”

“So what do we do?”

Yeonjun hummed. “I guess we just… walk around? Find a place to spend the night?”

“Or maybe we could come up with a plan?” Beomgyu suggested.

“I usually wing it. What’s the point of making a plan when you don’t even know what you’re up against?”

“What? You both didn’t have a plan when you came for me?”

“We didn’t even know if you would be there or not,” Soobin defended.

“At least we came.”

“Yeah,” Beomgyu said, leveling Yeonjun with a heavy gaze. “At least you came.”

___

The rest of the day went by rather smoothly. They walked around the city and soon found a hidden corner in a park where they could spend the night. This time, as to not receive bad surprises in the middle of the night once again, they each took turns standing guard. It really felt nice, to have an entire day to themselves to rest properly. Yeonjun could tell that they all needed it, especially after what had happened the night before.

When morning came, they lazed around in the park until their stomach had them buying food from a street vendor nearby. Then, they spent the afternoon exploring the city. Since Beomgyu had been stuck in the circus after leaving the warehouse, he hadn’t had the occasion to see for himself how humans lived. He was in awe at the buildings and the pieces of street arts they could find. 

A few hours before sundown, Soobin took out the promotional flyer from his back pocket and guided them as best as he could towards the fighting ring. 

“Since Minsoo said it’s technically illegal,” he said as they were waiting for a green light at an intersection, “it’s probably going to be hidden.”

“Probably,” Yeonjun agreed.

“Listen guys,” Beomgyu suddenly spoke up. “I have something to tell you.”

Soobin turned back to look at him. “What is it?” 

Beomgyu was looking away, scratching at the back of his neck. He seemed to be weirdly uncomfortable. “Did something happen?” Yeonjun asked, frowning.

“Well, not really. But… you have to know this.” 

“Can’t you just cut to the point?”

The light turned green and the pedestrians waiting around them started to walk away, crossing the street. The trio stayed frozen in place. 

“I think I might know where Kai is.”

“Really?” Soobin asked, eyes wide. Yeonjun couldn’t believe it either. Were they already that close to saving all of their friends? Were they already that close to going home?

“Yeah. I mean, kinda…”

“What do you mean?”

The traffic light turned red again as Beomgyu looked at them uncomfortably. “I don’t exactly know where it is. I just know that just before leaving, he told me they were selling him off to a lab. Our cages were next to each other, you see…”

“Wait a minute,” Soobin said. “A lab?”

“Yeah. I think they wanted to, I don’t know, do some research about our people. About shifters.”

Silence hung over them as they tried to take in what Beomgyu had told them. The thought of Kai, their youngest, stuck in a place where he would be probed, observed, cut open like a piece of meat was more than terrifying. Kai, who still clung to his childish way, who hadn’t even gone through his initiation yet.

The light turned green again and Yeonjun gripped the sleeves of his friends’ shirts. “Let’s go. We’ll talk about this later.”

When they reached the address written in the flyer, the sun had only just started to go down. The whole neighborhood seemed rather empty and silent with no car driving through and nearly no pedestrians.

“Is that it?” Yeonjun said. The building was quite inconspicuous. It was made of bricks and was a few stories high with no sign or indication of what could lie within. There was however a metal door on the front. The trio stood on the opposite sidewalk for a few minutes in various states of confusion.

“Should we… go in?”

Just then, a couple walked up to the door. As the girl was about to reach for the handle, a bulky man came out of the side of the building. They talked for a few seconds before the man, which Yeonjun figured was a bouncer of some sort, opened the door and led them inside. He came back out not a couple minutes later. 

“C’mon,” Yeonjun said. “Let’s do this.”

They crossed the empty street and went straight for the door. As Yeonjun had expected, the man stopped them before they could open the door. 

“What are you doing here?” His voice sounded gruff and intimidating. He was even taller than Soobin. 

“This time,” whispered Soobin in his ear, “it’s your turn to speak.”

Yeonjun looked back at Beomgyu, who pretended to busy himself looking around the street. He gulped, facing the bouncer again. The man did not look to be the patient type.

“We’re here to see the fights.”

The man raised a brow, unimpressed. 

“I… I heard that there was a new arrival,” Yeonjun said, trying to keep a steady voice. He shoved his hands in his pockets, going for a casual look. “We wanted to see what the hype was all about.”

That seemed to do the trick. “Alright,” the man said, gesturing for them to follow him. They were greeted on the other side of the door by a dimly lit hallway. Before they could explore further inside the building, the bouncer stopped them. “Lemme see your IDs.”

“IDs?” Beomgyu asked. 

“Yes. Identity document. You know, your driver's license, some shit like that.”

Somehow, this wasn’t something Yeonjun had ever thought about. Back in the village, they had no need for numbers and cards. He looked at Soobin, trying to conceal the panic that was slowly rising in his chest. “We don’t have IDs. Is that a problem?”

The man had a pinched look on his face. He crossed his arms on his chest. “I need to know that you’re over 18. If I can’t make sure of that, I’m gonna have to kick you out.”

“There’s no need to do that,” Soobin immediately assured. “We are all over 18, don’t worry.”

“I’m afraid that won’t cut it.” The bouncer looked more irritated by the second, and Yeonjun saw their chances of rescuing Taehyun slip through their fingers. They must have looked suspicious, all wearing facemasks and refusing to hand out any ID. Thankfully, Soobin was quick-witted.

“And what about this?” Soobin handed out a few bills from the envelope Minsoo had given them. Yeonjun frowned, about to intervene when the bouncer took the money and put it in his pocket.

“You can go ahead. You pay the entrance fee at the end of the corridor.” He leveled them with a glare, and they all promptly left. Soobin muttered out a ‘thanks’ just before the bouncer left the building once again, presumably to catch the next guests.

“That was wise. You looked so cool, Soobin!” Beomgyu had stars in his eyes and a grin splitting his face. They could see it even from underneath his mask. “This is why you’re in charge of talking,” Yeonjun added.

Soobin let out a breath, closing his eyes for a moment. Still, Yeonjun could see that the compliments were getting to him. He had a slight blush on his ears. “That was scary. I’m never doing that again.”

They walked down the corridor and paid the entrance fee at the counter. Yeonjun was worried they would soon run out of money. Hopefully, they would be able to find Kai soon and bring everyone home as soon as possible.

When they crossed the threshold and left the corridor for yet another one, they were greeted with cheers coming from ahead. There was no light along the way, the only guidance being the light bleeding through an open door ahead of them. “I’m nervous,” Beomgyu admitted. “This is strange.”

“Yeah, it is.” Yeonjun agreed. “But we have to do this. Let’s go.”

They crossed the last door and entered a rather crowded area. There were a lot of people gathered around, standing shoulder to shoulder facing right ahead. Amidst the cheers from the spectators, Yeonjun could hear grunts and sounds of struggles. 

“Wanna make bets?” A voice came from their right, words slurred and drawled out. It came from a woman that was slouching not far from them, watching the entrance with hawk eyes. 

“What?” Soobin asked.

The woman walked away from the wall against which she was leaning on. With a gesture of her fingers, she beckoned them to come closer. Curious, Yeonjun nudged Beomgyu and Soobin forward. 

“So, there’s a new one in here. He’s so spectacular that they’re waiting until they let him free.”

Yeonjun clenched his teeth. The woman must have been talking about Taehyun. “What are they waiting for?”

“Easy. Once there’s enough money in there,” she said, shaking a small rattling box in her hand, “they’ll unlock the chains. Just to spice up the fight a little.”

“Chains?”

“Go and see for yourself.”

Yeonjun did not wait a second longer. He went straight for the crowd, carelessly shoving people out of his way until he could put his hands on the metal railing. Down below was a circular space where two bulky dogs were battling against one another. They looked plain mean, with saliva dripping from their ugly sneers, lips pulled back and teeth out. 

Further back was a man on his knees, his arms stretched back behind him. His wrists were connected to the concrete wall by heavy metal chains. 

“Taehyun,” Yeonjun breathed out. 

Taehyun was anxiously watching the two beasts circling each other, growling lowly. Strangely, they were not even approaching him, staying on their own side of the ring. Still, his friend looked pale as a sheet. Even from afar, Yeonjun could see what looked like a fresh cut on his cheek. His grip on the railing tightened as he swallowed around the lump in his throat. 

Just then, he heard a gasp coming from beside him. To his right now stood Beomgyu and Soobin, both sporting looks of shock on their faces. “They’re gonna kill him,” Beomgyu said, voice thin. Taehyun had never been the fighting type. He was the only one in their group of friends that never fancied the position of hunter, preferring to learn underneath the healer’s wings. In fact, his other form was rather small compared to all of them. While he would surely be able to stand his ground for a small amount of time, the hounds in the ring looked far too dangerous. 

Each time the dogs came closer to him, Taehyun visibly flinched. He could not go very far in his predicament. Recoiling against the war did not seem to be an option for him, as there was a man with an uncoiled whip in his hand leaning against it not far from Taehyun. 

“What do we do now?” 

Before Yeonjun could answer, someone cleared their throat from behind them. It would have been difficult to hear it between all the cries and cheers, but shifters had no such problems. Turning around, Yeonjun realized the gambling woman from before stood behind them. “So,” she asked with a sly grin, “are you ready to make a bet?”

While Yeonjun’s first reaction would have been to growl at her, he held back. They needed to stay smart and careful. 

“How much longer will he stay in chains?” Beomgyu asked.

The woman shook the box yet again, a pensive look on her face. “Hmm… It’s still quite early on. Leave it another half an hour, then he’ll get roughed up a little. That always brings in more money.” She laughed, seemingly not noticing their looks of horror. “Then, if you guests are generous to me,” she pointed to herself, then at Taehyun down in the ring, “and to him, he’ll get a chance to fight back.”

“And what exactly are we betting on?” Soobin’s voice held slight tremors. The woman only laughed. She had a strange look on her face. Almost manic.

“You see, we got ourselves a fancy shifter over there.”

“Really,” said Yeonjun through gritted teeth.

“And the bets are to see if he’s gonna shift, if he’s gonna kill a fighter, whether or not he’ll end up unconscious... “

“Yes,” Soobin interrupted with a forced smile. “Thank you, we got the gist. We aren’t interested for now.”

The woman frowned, about to insist. “Really,” Beomgyu added. “We’ll see how it goes and we’ll come back to you later.”

As she went away, cursing at them under her breath, they all turned back to look at Taehyun. Nothing much had changed. He still looked scared, caught between the fighting dogs and the whip. One of the hounds was now limping, a bloody gash on its shoulder. The fight wouldn’t last much longer. They had to be quick. 

“So, what’s the plan?”

Yeonjun raked a hand through his hair, eyes narrowed down on Taehyun only. “He’s strong. He can get himself out of there himself.”

“What?” Soobin exclaimed. “What do you mean by that? We can’t let him fight!”

“We catch his attention and wait for him to come to us.”

Beomgyu’s face lit up. “Oh, I like the sound of that.”

“Do you want to do the honours?” Yeonjun felt a fluttering in his chest. There was fear filling his whole being, but there was also anger and excitement. He didn’t feel like he could stay in place anymore. Beomgyu seemed to be the same, while Soobin still looked a bit confused. 

“Of course,” Beomgyu assured. Then, he took in a large breath. “Taehyun!” he shouted out.

His scream barely disrupted the people around them, but it seemed to be enough. Taehyun looked up sharply, his eyes widening upon seeing all of them. Beomgyu waved at him. It felt crazy to feel this much happiness in such an hostile place, but Yeonjun couldn’t help the smile slowly etching itself on his face. 

Taehyun had a puzzled look on his face, but Beomgyu quickly made a pulling motion with his hands. “Jump!” he shouted out. “We’re gonna run with you!”

It wasn’t long before the confusion melted from Taehyun, leaving place to a determined look. He looked at the ground, twisting his wrists behind his back. By this point, other spectators had caught on to Taehyun’s change of demeanour. Still, the man with the whip did not move. That really was his biggest mistake. 

Without waiting much longer, Taehyun pulled hard on the chain. The first time, they did not really budge, but after a second and a third time, cracks started appearing in the concrete wall behind him. At the fourth pull, they gave in, and Taehyun got up from his knees. 

Beomgyu’s cheer was louder than the concerned gasps from the spectators. 

By the time the man with the whip raised his arm, ready for a hit, Taehyung had already shifted midair. With the strength his other form gave him, he was able to jump out of the ring and into the crowd without much trouble. 

Yeonjun laughed. Beomgyu hooted. And Soobin-

Soobin had tears of joy in his eyes. Yeonjun felt his heart clench.

Amidst all the screams and shouts, Taehyun’s roar was the only cue they needed. They all started to run towards the exit, uncaring of the very noticeable ocelot in their midst. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's only one chapter left! (the sixth is for the epilogue) Understandably, the last chapter will have a lot of stuff going on, so it might take a bit longer to update. But thank you all for being part of the journey!


	5. Shattered Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why do you look like you just bit into a lemon?” Soobin asked. His lower back was resting against a pew. He looked comfortable and serene, the setting sun casting a pretty golden glow on his face.  
> “I don’t look like that at all,” Yeonjun defended. He sighed. He could already feel his cheeks heating up without having said anything yet. “Soobin, there’s something I need to tell you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all this time, the final chapter is finally here. A lot happened in the last month but I'm actually pretty happy with how this turned out.  
> tw/ mention of guns

Taehyun absolutely needed clothes. He had been stuck in his other form since leaving the fighting ring, hiding in some bushes in a nearby park. It was why Soobin and Yeonjun found themselves in a tourist shop downtown when morning came. Soobin was browsing the racks and shelves of promotional t-shirts while Yeonjun was looking at swimming trunks. They didn’t have much time to spend shopping for other clothes, nor the money to afford it. Yeonjun could already see how ridiculous Taehyun would look, so different from his usual self. He loved it.

“Hey,” Soobin said. “Look at this.” He was holding up a grey t-shirt with a graphic print on its front. _Skin like beaches and cream._ Yeonjun laughed behind his mask. “Please, let’s take this.”

“Of course.” 

Yeonjun took the least flashy pair of trunks, a black and white one, and they walked up to the cashier. After having paid, they left the tranquil shop to venture into the sunny streets. Soobin was swinging the shopping bag back and forth, lost in thoughts. Yeonjun wanted to take his other hand into his.

After a while of walking around, trying to find their way back to the park, Soobin spoke up. “None of us have any idea of where to go from now on.”

Yeonjun made a noise of agreement. He knew where this was going. “You want to call home.”

Soobin sighed. He stopped walking and led them closer to a building, leaving space for others to bypass them on the sidewalk. Soobin lowered his face mask, putting a hand on Yeonjun’s nape. “I know you want us to do this on our own, but we really are lost when it comes to Kai. Even if we know he’s in a lab, where do we even begin to search?”

“But they never wanted to get involved in your rescue in the first place,” Yeonjun protested. “What makes you think they’ll change their minds now?”

Soobin played with the hair at the back of Yeonjun’s neck, looking directly into his eyes. Yeonjun fought back the shivers threatening to run through his body. “Because we are four now. There’s only one left, and we have a small idea of where he might be. It’s not the same as before.”

Yeonjun opened his mouth to protest but Soobin beat him to it. “Besides, it’s just a call. If things don’t work out, then we make our own plan. It doesn’t hurt to try.” 

Yeonjun’s smile was bittersweet. He knew Soobin was trying his hardest to comfort him, but he couldn’t quite let go of his anger yet. “If you think-“

He was cut off by someone bumping into them. Yeonjun turned around, expecting an apology, when he noticed the look on the man’s face. His eyebrows were furrowed, lips opened in confusion. He was looking at Soobin. Yeonjun looked back at his friend, whose mask was still down on his chin. 

“Wait, aren’t you the…” Yeonjun’s eyes widened and he took Soobin’s arm, dragging him away as fast as possible. They did not pay mind to the man’s protests. They shared a look and Soobin simply tugged his mask back up. 

After a few minutes of running away, taking small streets and detours just in case the man was following them, they paused at the bottom of a stairway. 

“I’m sorry,” Soobin said, catching his breath. Yeonjun eased his grip on his arm, but Soobin immediately took his hand back into his. “It’s okay. We’re not used to being fugitives.”

“Fugitives,” Soobin mused. “That’s kind of funny when you think about it.”

“What?”

Soobin laughed, a glint of mirth in his eyes. Yeonjun felt like something was squeezing his heart.

“I don’t know, I just feel like it’s funny somehow.”

Soobin’s laugh was contagious. Soon, Yeonjun had to fight away tears, bent over from the strength of his laughter. Being able to let himself go, to push his constant worries as far away as he could, felt downright liberating. Soobin had always had this effect on him. With him, Yeonjun felt free. 

He felt happy.

Sooner than Yeonjun would have liked, they had to shake themselves out of their laughter. Taehyun and Beomgyu were still waiting for them, after all. 

___

As soon as Soobin dropped the shopping bag at Beomgyu’s feet, a ball of fur suddenly clawed its way out of a nearby bush and took it in its mouth, running away behind a tree. 

“Hello to you too,” Yeonjun called out.

Beomgyu smiled up at them from where he was sitting on the grass. Taehyun and him hadn’t moved an inch from where Yeonjun and Soobin had left them earlier, still hiding out in the park. Thankfully, there weren’t a lot of people around them. The chilly morning weather must have kept most of the humans inside where they were cozy and warm.

“How was it?” Beomgyu asked. Yeonjun sat down beside him with a groan. “Uneventful. Although we did kinda get recognized once.”

“What?”

Soobin brushed his concerns away with a gesture of his hand. “Everything’s fine. We made it out in one piece, haven’t we?”

“Are you guys serious?” Taehyun came out from behind the trees, dressed in his bright new clothes but sporting a look that could kill. “There wasn’t anything else you could buy?”

As soon as he read the inscription on Taehyun’s t-shirt, Beomgyu forgot about Yeonjun’s comment. He laughed in glee. “You look handsome!”

“Thanks,” Taehyun grumbled. “I hate it.”

“C’mon,” Soobin said, hiding a grin behind his hand. “It isn’t even that bad.”

Beomgyu raised himself on his elbows, his laughter slowly dying until even his smile had disappeared from his face. “I know, it’s not even that funny…” He sighed. “I’m just… I’m just happy, I guess.”

Taehyun’s frown softened. “Yeah, I get that. I’m happy too.”

The four of them stayed silent for a little while. Yeonjun felt like there wasn’t anything he could say. He too felt relief loosening his body, but the thought of Kai suffering alone while they had all found each other again was near overbearing. 

Before the mood could spiral down too much again, Taehyun spoke up. “Though you could have bought more sets of clothes. You guys are beginning to stink.”

“Hey,” Soobin protested. “We’re broke.”

“Yeah, deal with it!”

While his friends were bickering yet again, Yeonjun’s mind was breaking with various plans. He was beginning to think that calling home would be inevitable at this point.

___

Soobin had insisted on being the one to make the phone call back home. Since his father was their Leader, he thought it logical that he would be the one who would be able to convince him. He was confident that help was soon going to be on its way, or so he had said. Besides, he was the only one who could remember the phone number. 

“It’s obvious you should be the one to do it,” Beomgyu had said. 

So they had found a payphone in a shopping mall back in town and Soobin had dug out some coins to slip into the slit. The rest of the boys were waiting around the booth, trying to look as inconspicuous as they could possibly be.

Yeonjun could tell the exact moment someone picked up the phone on the other side. Soobin’s eyes closed as he heaved out a heavy sigh. He started to speak.

They couldn’t quite hear the conversation from where they stood. They could only make guesses on how things were going from Soobin’s posture. Still, Yeonjun felt his heart drop when Soobin looked back, his eyes finding his. 

Did he need help?

Anxiously biting his lip, Soobin motioned for Yeonjun to come closer. He opened the door of the booth and handed the phone to Yeonjun, an apology written on his face.

“Your father answered.” 

His father? What was he doing by the village’s telephone?

Before Yeonjun could actually ask anything, Soobin left the booth, leaving him alone to face his father’s inevitable wrath. He looked down at the phone in his hand, giving himself a moment to gather his courage. When Yeonjun raised it to his ear, he still didn’t feel ready.

“Hello?” His voice sounded hesitant, and he cursed himself internally. This wasn’t the impression he wanted to give his father. 

“I don’t think I need to tell you how much trouble you are in.” His father sounded cold. There was not a hint of anger in his tone. The utter calm felt almost worse than blinding rage.

“No,” Yeonjun muttered.

“Your friend told me you managed to find three of them?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you calling?”

The careless words felt like a punch to his guts. “You’re not… You’re not worried?”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t.”

“It’s okay, I…” Yeonjun gulped, fidgeting with the cable connecting the receiver to the machine in front of him. “I’m doing fine.”

“Then why are you calling?” he repeated. 

“I just…” Yeonjun didn’t know how to feel. He had already bent over backwards countless times to please his father, had risked his life for duty just as his father expected from him, and it still wasn’t enough. It never was enough, and none of his efforts were ever acknowledged. 

Yeonjun clenched his fist around the receiver. “Aren’t you gonna say something positive?” The silence on the other side of the line egged him on. Yeonjun didn’t care anymore. He was so tired of everything, of the stress, of the pain. “We are doing something _no one_ was going to do,” he gritted out, “and still, you’re not happy.”

His father seemed to drop the calm act, anger slipping through his tone. “You went against orders, you slipped away into the night, yet you expect me to…”

“I’m taking responsibility!” Yeonjun nearly shouted. His breathing was getting heavier with how upset he was becoming. “As the oldest amongst us, I’m taking responsibility!”

“Fine! Since you _are_ taking responsibility for your own stupidity, why are you calling now? To taunt me? To prove yourself?”

“No!” Yeonjun blinked away frustrated tears. He needed to stay strong. Even if his father couldn’t see them, he refused to let himself become any more vulnerable. “I’m not like this.”

_I’m not like you._

“I just…” He raked his free hand through his hair, looking back at the worried faces of his friends. “We need help. There’s only Kai left.”

His father scoffed. Yeonjun could very well imagine the look on his face. Disappointment, anger. Superiority. “Since you are doing so great on your own, _taking responsibility,_ why don’t you do it on your own?”

“If you’re not helping to help a child from your own clan, then pass the phone over to someone who will.” If there was one thing Yeonjun knew well, it was how stubborn his father was. His father was a respected man within the clan, intelligent, wise and excellent at his job. Still, his stubbornness was infamous. As his son, Yeonjun knew he didn’t stand a chance. Not when even his father’s peers were struggling with his temper. 

Sometimes, being associated with that man made him ashamed. He had to remind himself daily of his father’s achievements and contribution to the clan in order to put his mind at rest. Still, he knew deep within himself that they were polar opposites.

“I wanna speak to the Leader.”

Clearly, being dismissed in that way offended the man. “What makes you think he will want to speak to a child…”

“I’m not a child,” Yeonjun cut off. “I’m initiated, and have been for a little while.”

“Don’t get too cocky…”

“Besides,” yet again, Yeonjun did not leave him any time to speak hatefully. “I’m not going to be the one doing the talking. And it isn’t your right to refuse. Soobin can very well talk to his own father, I’m sure he won’t turn him down.” 

Without waiting for an answer, Yeonjun placed the receiver on top of the machine and left the booth. He wiped a stray tear away, sniffling. “You should be able to talk to your dad,” Yeonjun said to Soobin. His friend gave him a puzzled look, but still went inside the telephone booth without asking any question.

As Yeonjun passed by Taehyun, his friend put a hand on his shoulder. He squeezed it gently without even saying a word, but it was enough for Yeonjun. 

Still, he did not cry. He simply watched Soobin talking over the phone with growing concern. When he stepped out of the booth once and for all a few minutes later, he had a careful smile on his face, almost as if he did not let himself be too happy yet. “Some people will come.”

Yeonjun could almost taste the relief that enveloped them. It was immediate; as soon as Soobin spoke the words, Beomgyu let out a cheer, and Taehyun had to lean on a wall. Yeonjun found himself fighting the urge to jump into Soobin’s arms, his hands itching to hug him tight. 

“Oh my god,” Taehyun breathed out. “We’re gonna go home.”

“We’re gonna go home,” Beomgyu repeated, in a daze. 

“Is there a plan, now?” Yeonjun asked. Soobin’s smile stretched wider on his face. He opened his mouth, but looked around them. “Let’s move away from here. We’re still exposed.”

They left the mall, buzzing with excitement and nervousness. Yeonjun desperately wanted to shout in victory, but he knew that even if that call had brought them good news, the game wasn’t quite over yet.

They sat down a few meters away from the mall, on a grassy spot in the middle of the parking lot. Soobin quickly started speaking as if the words desperately wanted to leave his mouth. “Apparently, the clan has some contact with the outside world. Some organization sometimes gives them infos about stuff that concerns us. Places to avoid and such.”

“An organization?” Yeonjun could only think of Minsoo and his elusiveness. It seemed like Beomgyu had the same idea.

“Aaaaah,” he sighed. “Minsoo must have been working for something like that, right?”

“Minsoo?” Taehyun asked. He was the only one who hadn’t met their ally at the circus.

“I’ll tell you later. There’s so much to say!”

“You don’t say,” Yeonjun muttered. Then, louder, “So they know where to search?”

“Yes.” Soobin’s face looked rather grim. Yeonjun felt his stomach twist onto itself uncomfortably. “Apparently, they heard of a new shifter coming into a lab a few days ago. A snow leopard.”

“Kai,” Taehyun said. It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” Soobin answered. “But, the good news is that we now know where to look.”

“They gave you directions?”

“Yes and no.”

Beomgyu groaned. “Which means?”

Soobin smiled. “They told me of a place to meet. They’re sending a car to come and get us.”

____

The directions Soobin’s father had given him were rather vague, but they still managed to find the right way to go without much hassle. They were supposed to meet those who were willing to help them at an infamous human landmark that they could easily spot. 

“It’s a burnt down chapel by the side of the freeway,” Soobin had said as they made their way out of town. “We can get there by following the road.”

“But we don’t have a car,” Yeonjun had responded, brows furrowed. He had been walking next to Soobin at the front while Beomgyu and Taehyun were walking side by side just behind them.

“There’s no need to have one. We can walk there and use the trees on the side of the road as a cover.”

Which was exactly what they had proceeded to do. The walk was an easy one, the road rather flat, although extremely curvy at times. Once they were far from the overbearing presence of humans and the buzz of the city, it was easy to relax. It almost felt like one of their careless runs into the forest back home. Almost.

They were still missing their youngest.

The people sent to help them would only reach the chapel around dusk. They had the whole day to travel. With the abundance of time on their hands, they decided that hunting for their lunch would not be a waste of time. 

While Soobin and Beomgyu took their other form to catch a meal for the four of them, Yeonjun stayed behind with Taehyun in a clearing not far from the road. They could still hear the occasional car pass through at high speed, making the ground vibrate and the leaves rustle faintly. Yeonjun had originally planned to join the hunt too, but Taehyun had insisted he needed a break and did not want to stay alone.

“So,” Taehyun started. He was lounging on the soft grass, hands cushioning his head as his closed eyes faced the sky. “Did you have a special reunion with Soobin?”

“What?” Yeonjun sat up straighter, the bark of the tree supporting his weight rough on his back. He winced. “I don’t… What are you talking about?”

Taehyun opened one eye, peering at him curiously. “You‘re smart, Yeonjun. You don’t need me to spell it out to you.”

The thing was, Yeonjun didn’t.

These days, Yeonjun tried his best to avoid a lot of thoughts. The thought of what was waiting for them back home, the thought of his friends’ safety, the thought of his role in all of this. Mainly, he didn’t let himself linger on Soobin.

“Maybe I am not as smart as you think I am,” he retorted, just to spite his friend. Taehyun scoffed, raising himself on his elbows to get a proper look at Yeonjun. “Are you kidding me? You guys have been doing this thing since even before Soobin had his initiation.”

Yeonjun was far from stupid. He was well aware that his feelings for Soobin were far from platonic. He knew it from the way each of his friend’s touch lingered on his skin like sparks. He knew it from the way Soobin’s smile made his heart ache in a blissful way. Yeonjun knew it since long ago, but never let his mind put a name on it.

He could accept the touches and the aches, but defining it was almost painful to him. Names and labels carried weight, weight Yeonjun wasn’t sure he was able to pull on his own. Not when he wasn’t sure of what his friend felt for him.

“It’s not…” He sighed. “It’s not an us thing. Soobin’s just like this, you know.”

Taehyun looked scandalized. “No, he’s not ‘just like this’! Are you blind?”

Offended, Yeonjun tried to protest. “I’m not blind! I’m just saying… you know Soobin is really affectionate…”

“But it’s worse with you! You’re just…” Taehyun groaned, shielding his eyes with a hand. He had risen up on his knees over the course of their conversation. “You’re all up in each other’s fur all the time!”

“But that doesn’t mean anything!”

“Yes it does!”

Taehyun was visibly growing more and more frustrated, and Yeonjun did not know how to feel anymore. Was his friend possibly telling the truth?

_Could it be…?_

“Listen,” Taehyun said, voice calmer now that his outburst had passed. “All I’m saying is that you should give it a try. Just talk to him, see it for yourself.

“But that’s scary.”

“Are you… are you pouting?”

“No,” Yeonjun said defensively.

“You definitely are.”

“He definitely was,” Soobin’s voice came from behind him.

Yeonjun shot up with a start. He exchanged a panicked look with Taehyun, who simply shrugged in response. Caught up in their argument, none of them had heard or even smelled their friends coming back.

Just how much did Soobin hear?

“When did you come back?” Taehyun asked.

Beomgyu sat down beside him, a bird and a hare in each hand. “Just a second ago. Why?”

“No reason,” Yeonjun was quick to say. “Why did you even catch that bird? It’s too tiny to even eat something off of it.

“Sports,” Beomgyu shrugged. “This isn’t much,” Soobin said as he sat down beside Yeonjun, their shoulders touching. “But as much as we’re hungry, we don’t have all day.”

Yeonjun caught Taehyun’s gaze. He had the sudden desire to stick out his tongue at him, but he refrained. Soobin could grow even more suspicious, and he couldn’t risk that.

They ate without much fuss, shifting in their other form in order to eat the uncooked meat. It was then decided that the rest of the journey would be spent that way. Their other form was much faster, and it felt good to finally stretch those pairs of legs after their days in hiding.

They arrived at the chapel an hour before dusk, leaving them ample time to catch their breath and explore the perimeter. Yeonjun immediately took back his human form, eager to see the building from up close. 

Half of the roof had gone with the flames, only its bell tower standing tall and proud. Still, the structure seemed to be strong enough, and Yeonjun was not afraid to step inside, where a few rows of pews were still there to greet him. The pretty murals decorating the walls had been licked by the heat, covered with old soot, but the ashes had long been swept away by the wind.

“It happened a while ago,” Taehyun said from beside him. They had all entered the chapel together, Taehyun sticking close to him while Beomgyu and Soobin wandered around. 

“I can see that.”

“It still looks pretty,” Taehyun commented, looking up at the sky above them, “in a haunting kind of way.”

“Yeah,” Yeonjun agreed. While the chapel wasn’t big, he could still see the remnants of its former beauty. 

“You should talk to Soobin.” Yeonjun was shaken out of his thoughts by Taehyun’s hand on his shoulder, his eyes burning with a calm sort of purpose, something so Taehyun. Even if it had only been less than two weeks since they were separated, Yeonjun had still missed Taehyun with all his heart. 

He had missed all of his friends.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play the innocent game with me,” Taehyun warned, before he turned back to shout at Beomgyu. “Gyu! Are you coming with me? We’re gonna wait outside for them.”

At first, Beomgyu looked confused, but something on Taehyun’s face must have convinced him. His face lit up, a sly smirk stretching his lips. “Of course.” 

Which left a stunned Yeonjun and a clueless Soobin alone in the chapel. Yeonjun internally cursed his friends’ mischievous tendencies. He perfectly understood what they were trying to do, and while a part of him was grateful for their support, he still felt frustrated. He wasn’t ready to _‘talk to Soobin’_ , as Taehyun had said.

Yeonjun still felt like he needed to try.

“Why do you look like you just bit into a lemon?” Soobin asked. His lower back was resting against a pew. He looked comfortable and serene, the setting sun casting a pretty golden glow on his face. 

“I don’t look like that at all,” Yeonjun defended. He sighed. He could already feel his cheeks heating up without having said anything yet. “Soobin, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Soobin tilted his head. “I don’t really like the sound of your voice. Is it bad?”

And Yeonjun felt himself deflate. He didn’t have the courage to confess. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what confessing would be like. Soobin already had enough on his plate already. He did not need his best friend’s unwanted feelings to burden him. 

But Taehyun had said they were not unwanted. 

“I…”

Soobin looked almost… expecting. “You…?”

Before Yeonjun could find a proper excuse, he was saved by the sound of a roaring engine coming closer. “They’re here,” he breathed out. He quickly went back to the entrance of the chapel, Soobin hot on his heels. They stepped outside just as a pick up truck pulled up from a dirt road nestled between the trees. Beomgyu shouted out in delight. 

When the car finally stopped, two people climbed out. They were faces Yeonjun was used to seeing around the village. Jiyeon, a shifter a couple years older than him, came closer to warmly hug them each. Standing at her side was Dokyun, someone Yeonjun recognized from his father’s patrol team.

“Thank you so much,” Soobin said as Jiyeon patted his back. “You have no idea how much this means to us.”

“It’s the least we can do,” Dokyun assured. “When one of our own is in danger, it’s our duty to help out.” 

“There’s only two of you?” As much as Taehyun’s question sounded rude, it came from genuine surprise. 

“Yes.” Jiyeon looked sheepish. She shared a look with Dokyun. “We figured a stealth mission was better than barging through the facility. Less dangerous.”

 _Less lives to risk._

They all understood the hidden meaning behind their only two sets of helping hands. Yeonjun spoke up before the air became too heavy. “Then we are even more indebted of you.” He bowed to them, quickly followed by his friends. Dokyun and Jiyeon looked ready to protest, but they were interrupted by Beomgyu. 

“Do you have a plan?” 

Jiyeon smiled. “Come, we’ll eat dinner and talk about that on a full stomach.”

They had brought a meal big enough for the six of them, as well as clothes for the boys to change into. The chicken they ate, as simple as its seasoning was, felt like a chef’s meal to Yeonjun. They hadn’t really eaten anything over the course of the last few days. It felt great to finally soothe his hunger. 

While they were busy eating, Dokyun took out a notebook from his satchel. “This is going to be a stealth mission, so the keyword is caution.”

“Even if it wasn’t a stealth mission,” Jiyeon mused, “caution would still be the keyword.”

“Can you just let me explain?” He groaned, then continued. “We won’t all be going inside the building. It would be too dangerous.”

“Wait a minute,” Taehyun interrupted. “You guys know what to expect inside?”

“Well, more or less.”

“What does that mean?” Beomgyu asked, a wild look in his eyes. “Are we just going in blind?”

“Can’t you all just let me explain?” Dokyun exclaimed. He looked to be rather irritated. Yeonjun exchanged a pointed look with Taehyun. “Go on,” the latter said.

Dokyun sighed, looking down at his notebook. “As I was saying, we won’t all go inside. If we’re quick, we could be at the lab by midnight. There won’t be as many staff inside during the night.”

“So,” Jiyeon picked up, “two people will go inside and follow their noses to find Huening Kai.”

“So we just sneak it and hope no one sees us?” Soobin asked. 

“No. They don’t know all of our faces.”

“But they know ours,” Taehyun said. 

“Yes,” Dokyun agreed. “But there’s still a way. Trust us.”

_____

They had left the car almost a kilometre away from the lab, leaving them to walk the remaining distance underneath the cover of the trees surrounding the road. The lab was located in the middle of nowhere, only accessible via a road that ended in a cul-de-sac. It seemed to be a perfect place for keeping secret operations concealed. Yeonjun felt sweaty all over. He kept reminding himself to regulate his breathing, to remain calm. He didn’t want to worry the people around him. 

It had been decided that he would be one of the two people that would infiltrate the lab.

“Yeonjun should do it,” Beomgyu had suggested. “He’s been sneaking around since the beginning. He’s pretty great at it.”

“Maybe he wants a break,” Jiyeon had said. “He can help with the other part of the plan and…”

“I’ll do it.” Yeonjun’s tone had been heavy with finality. He was sure of himself.

“Then I’ll come with you,” Soobin had said.

Yeonjun had almost protested, but the look in Soobin’s eyes had him frozen in place. He had swallowed and nodded. 

For a secluded place in the middle of the forest, the building looked quite comfortable and modern. The parking lot, although nearly empty, looked brand new, paint lines still bright and fresh. Their group were crouched at the tree line, waiting. 

“Soobin, Yeonjun,” Jiyeon said, assessing them both one after the other. “You guys go inside and do your stuff. You have your in-ears?” At their nod, she smiled. It looked more like a grimace, really. She too was as nervous as them. “Then everything should be fine. Just trust us, we’ll create the distraction when you’ll need it.”

“Alright,” Soobin said. He then looked at Yeonjun. “Do we just… go?”

“I guess so…”

They got up and carefully walked towards the emergency exit. It was naught but a few short steps away from where the rest of their group was crouching. The blind spot in the lighting allowed them to be shrouded in shadows, further helping them stay invisible to any unwanted eyes. Yeonjun had to remind himself to avoid looking back at his friends. The temptation was stronger than ever.

Dokyun had told them that this particular exit would be the least likely to be guarded. Surprisingly, it also turned out it was unlocked. They made their way in just like this, without much hassle. Soobin carefully closed the door behind them, isolating them once and for all. There really was no turning back at this point.

Just as discussed earlier in the day, Yeonjun and Soobin found a nearby staircase a few corridors away. This one was located right in front of an elevator in an empty corner of the building. They hid underneath the flight of stairs, crouching in the dust. 

They did not have to wait a very long time. Just as Yeonjun’s legs were beginning to cramp from their bent position, numbers lit up on a screen above the elevator doors. 

“It’s coming down,” Soobin whispered. 

They quickly got up from underneath the staircase, each coming to stand on one side of the closed doors. Yeonjun watched the numbers count down with nervous anticipation.

2.

1.

_0._

When the doors opened, they didn’t even need to communicate.

The first thing that came out of the elevator was a closed cart. Then, someone dressed in white scrubs followed. Soobin tackled them and they went down with a grunt. While Soobin was busy restraining the man’s hands behind his back, Yeonjun took care of covering his mouth. He ignored the look of panic in the man’s face, searching for Soobin’s eyes.

Soobin nodded, and Yeonjun slammed the man’s head into the ground, temple first.

Yeonjun took care of lifting the man’s upper body while Soobin took his feet. They transported him towards the staircase, where Yeonjun took off his scrubs and put them on himself. 

“Don’t worry,” Soobin whispered. He was kneeling beside the man’s unconscious body, a hand on his neck. “He’s just knocked out.”

“I know, I wouldn’t have killed him.” Yeonjun had a nervous laugh that he tried to stifle behind his hand. He still felt the adrenaline shaking up his whole body, leaving him jittery and ready to strike. It really wasn’t the time to laugh, but his body did not seem to know that. Thankfully, Soobin ignored it.

When Yeonjun was dressed, they opened the cart and removed the various pieces of equipment that were stashed inside, as well as its shelves. “Do you think you can fit in there?” Yeonjun asked Soobin. Since Yeonjun was the only one that wasn’T held captive at any point, his face could not be recognized by anyone inside the facility. The same couldn’t be said for Soobin, who had to hide. 

Soobin bent down, assessing the space. “It’s a tight fit, but it’ll do.” 

“Then get in, we don’t have all day.”

Yeonjun put a hand on his in-ear, pressing on the little button on its side. He hoped the device was well hidden under his hair. “We’re in,” he whispered. “We’re gonna try and track Kai’s scent.”

“ _Be careful.”_ Jiyeon’s voice filled his ear. He smiled to himself. A shaky, nervous excuse of a smile. “Always.” 

Yeonjun cut the communication just as Soobin tucked himself inside the cart. He kneeled down, looking at his friend in the eyes. 

There were so many things Yeonjun wanted to say to him, so many truths hanging just on the tip of his tongue. Sadly, they had no time for any of it. Yeonjun settled for brushing Soobin’s hair out of his face. Soobin looked as nervous as he felt himself.

“You got this,” he said to Yeonjun, voice low. “I trust you.”

His words filled Yeonjun with an indescribable warmth. On a whim, he bent down and kissed Soobin’s forehead. He could feel his breath hitching in his throat, but before Soobin could react, he pulled back and closed the doors of the cart.

He knew that his face must have been coloured a vivid red. At least Soobin could not even voice a complaint if he had one. They had to stay quiet as mice. 

Yeonjun bit his lip and put his hands on the handle of the cart. He sniffed the air, trying to catch even a small hint of Kai’s shifter scent, but all he could smell was the bitterness of chemicals and the stench of humans. He was beginning to grow tired of his nose itching because of it. He longed for the scents of the forest.

Even if he had no clue of where to look, Yeonjun knew that moving forward was still the only option they had. He began to push the cart away from the stairs, leaving behind the empty corridor and the human’s unconscious body.

Pushing the cart with the knowledge that only his disguise was keeping them alive was nerve wracking. Although the building seemed mostly silent, Yeonjun could still hear the thrumming of electronic devices as well as bribes of conversations echoing through the corridors. He knew they weren’t alone, that they willingly entered the lion’s den. 

Yeonjun’s jaw was beginning to hurt from tightly clenching his teeth.

They eventually crossed paths with someone dressed in the same scrubs as Yeonjun. He gulped, looking ahead to avoid suspicion. The workers probably all knew each other, and Yeonjun hoped to blend in with the boring surroundings. He watched the worker pass by him from the corner of his eyes. She seemed to be in a rush, as she passed him by without so much of a look.

Yeonjun let out a sigh, ready to face whoever else would come their way. A knock on the metal of the cart caughthis attention. He looked around, but the empty hallway left him with only one answer; the knocking came from the inside. 

He pushed the cart closer to the wall and bent down beside it. “What?” Yeonjun whispered.

“Smell.”

And Yeonjun raised his nose in the air, searching. He could still smell the worker’s scent hanging in the corridor, the stench strong enough to almost muffle everything else. But, underneath it was a familiar scent. It was still faint but Yeonjun would have recognized it anywhere. The woman had been near Huening Kai recently.

Yeonjun had half a mind to turn back on his heels to question her, but he refrained. He needed to keep his cover. Additionally, having caught a small taste of his friend’s scent would make the search easier. There was no need to take unnecessary risks.

His steps became more and more assured as he was trusting his nose. Still, Yeonjun could feel his hands trembling from nervousness and sweat dampening his fringe. He knew Soobin wasn’t faring any better. He could smell bitter anxiety lacing with his friend’s regular scent.

Frankly, his nose was slightly overwhelmed from all the different signals. It made his head throb.

Then, Yeonjun felt his heart skip a beat as the shrill sound of a bell rang through the facility. The previously silent hallways filled with the echoes of shouts.

“ _Intruders!”_

Yeonjun was frozen in place as a handful of armed guards suddenly swarmed the corridor. They passed by him without so much of a glance, leaving him grateful but confused. The body underneath the staircase must have been discovered, he reasoned. Yeonjun pushed forward, the bell still ringing in his ears.

Kai’s scent was slowly getting stronger. Yeonjun was unconsciously gaining speed, so much that he was nearly running, the cart wheels rattling on the ground. He knew this must have felt horrible for Soobin, stuck inside as he was, but they were running out of time. 

Soon enough, what he dreaded would happen came to slap him in the face. 

As Yeonjun rounded a corner, he came face to face with an armed guard. While his body tensed in fear, he had hope that the man would do as everyone had done before; leave them alone in order to go where the chaos really was. But the guard’s steps slowed down, and Yeonjun felt unease creeping up his spine. The man eventually came to a stop right in front of the cart, eyes dark and piercing. 

“What are you doing?” he asked. 

“N-nothing,” Yeonjun stammered. “I was getting those supplies into another room.”

“Supplies? Care to let me see what’s hiding in there?”

“Ah,” Yeonjun let out a nervous laugh. “There’s nothing interesting in there. Only tools and some spare blankets.” 

Yeonjun watched as the man’s fingers went down to the trigger of his rifle. His eyes widened. “I’m not gonna ask again,” the man said in a low voice. “Let me have a look inside.”

“ _Leave me,_ ” came a voice from Yeonjun’s in-ear. Although he was puzzled, Yeonjun would have recognized Soobin’s voice anywhere. He didn’t know their own in-ears could communicate, but the reminder of his friend’s presence both soothed him and left him on edge. “I…”

“ _Distraction, now!”_

Yeonjun startled as the entire building went dark. It was as if someone had simultaneously turned off all the light switches. While his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could hear the guard hiss out a curse. Shouts came from behind them, people asking for help. Yeonjun could smell the acrid scent of the ambient panic clog up his throat.

“ _Leave, Yeonjun!”_

Yeonjun could see the guard stumble away from them into the dark, the cart long forgotten behind him as it became clear that Yeonjun was far from an urgent threat. “But…”

“ _Just go! Go to Kai!”_

And he shouldn’t have gone so easily, but the urgency in Soobin’s voice was enough to tear through the fog in his mind. And it shouldn’t have hurt so much, to simply let go of the cart and run towards where his nose was guiding him, as was his mission. 

But oh, was the guilt almost enough to have him tumble to the ground.

Despite the darkness shrouding the building, the emergency sirens still going strong, _having left Soobin behind,_ Yeonjun couldn’t let himself take a break. He had to push through, if only to make all of their efforts worth something. He still crossed paths with staff members and guards, but now that he didn’t have an admittedly suspicious looking cart to push around, no one gave him so much as a second glance. Yeonjun was able to run through the hallways as fast as he wanted, following Huening Kai’s trail until-

Until he had reached a set of doors at the end of a long empty corridor, where his friend’s distressed scent was seeping through the cracks near the floor. 

There seemed to be a reddish glow coming from the room, something Yeonjun assumed came from emergency light fixtures. It was irritating to his eyes, but he only took a few seconds to rub at them before he walked the rest of the way. He pushed at the doors with a shoulder and they swung open, revealing what was hidden inside the room. 

The first thing that caught Yeonjun’s eyes was obviously the glass tank in the middle of the room. But more important was what was inside of it. Or rather, _who._

“Kai,” he let out.

His friend looked alert, crouching in the tank in nothing but a thin hospital gown. Although Yeonjun knew the messy situation they had created would have left Kai in a certain state of panic, the relief he could see bleeding in his eyes even from across the room left him breathless.

“Yeonjun!”

Yeonjun ran towards the tank, his hands hitting the glass with a dull thud. He knew there were tears in his eyes, he could see them mirrored in his friend’s gaze. Finally, after all this time, they were all reunited.

“Yeonjun, how?”

His voice sounded muffled through the glass, but it still managed to bring shivers down Yeonjun’s spine. “I got a little help. Everyone is here.”

“Everyone?”

“Everyone,” Yeonjun assured.

“I…” Kai started, before he was interrupted by yet another bout of shouting in the distance.

“We don’t have much time,” Yeonjun said frantically, looking around the room. There were trays, metal benches and instruments, but nothing that seemed solid enough to break through the thick glass. He looked back at Kai. “Is there a key? Something in can work with?” 

His friend bit his lips, eyes wide in both fear and what looked to be hope. “It’s a passcode over there. You won’t be able to pass through it.”

Yeonjun wanted to shout in frustration. They were so close to their end goal, yet he felt even more powerless than when he had first stepped through the door of the laboratory with Soobin. 

_Soobin._

He shook his head. “I don’t… We’ll find a solution.”

“Yeonjun…”

But Yeonjun refused to even acknowledge Kai’s defeated tone. He could hear footsteps coming closer, the shouting getting louder and louder, and an idea struck him.

“Your other form isn’t strong enough to destroy the glass alone, right?”

“I… No? Don’t you think I wouldn’t have tried?”

“And I assume this glass is bulletproof, right?”

“Yeonjun, what are you trying to…”

“Just trust me.”

Kai let out a sigh that was almost a sob. He was visibly getting more and more worked up. “I don’t understand, Yeonjun.”

Yeonjun stretched his hand across the glass and his friend seemed to take the hint. Kai put his hand against his and even through the layer separating them, Yeonjun swore he could fear his warmth. “I need you to shift, okay?” He looked away, examining the tank. “Even if there’s not a lot of space in there, I need you to shift when I tell you. Then, we run, okay?”

Yeonjun knew he was asking a lot from his friend. To trust him blindly in a dangerous situation where everything could go wrong and not much could go right. Still, Kai looked at him with his hopeful eyes and Yeonjun knew that whatever happened, they would face it as one team. 

Yeonjun turned around as the doors suddenly opened, about half a dozen guards stepping through them with their rifle pointed at him. He could see the neon light beams coming from the tip of the weapons pointed at his neck like a promise of pain, cutting through the red haze of the room. “Hands up!” someone screamed out. 

Yeonjun frowned. He looked back at Kai and hoped his eyes could convey everything he had to say to him. They didn’t have much time, after all. 

“I won’t repeat myself!”

Shifting was always a quick affair, over in the blink of an eye. Yeonjun took advantage of that ability. As soon as his ears detected the slight sound of fingers over a trigger, he bent down as fur exploded from his skin, narrowly avoiding a row of bullets. They came crashing against the glass tank and Yeonjun knew his plan had worked. 

He heard a roar coming from behind him and with it, the sound of shattered glass as Kai used all of his strength to break the glass that had been weakened by the bullets. In their shock, the guards did not even have the time to gather themselves. Yeonjun and Kai flew across the room like one being, leaving their attackers in the dust. 

Yeonjun had a vague idea of where Soobin and him first came inside the building. However, he knew that the area was probably bound to be crawling with the leftover guards. It was, after all, where the man must have been discovered.

Kai and Yeonjun breezed through the surrounding chaos. Luckily for them, the already short handed staff was overwhelmed with the various commotions across the building. It wasn’t long before Yeonjun spotted a bright exit sign, the emergency light glowing like a beacon in the darkness. 

They emerged into the parking lot and Yeonjun was quick to guide them towards where he had left their friends. He didn’t need to say anything to Kai. Yeonjun knew he trusted him enough to follow him no matter where they would go. He knew he would have blindly done the same thing were their roles reversed.

There were many questions running through Yeonjun’s mind. He still didn’t know what had happened to Soobin after they had parted. He still didn’t know what those left behind had done to cause the distraction. He still didn’t know if they were out of harm’s way yet. 

But Yeonjun did know that Kai was safe with him.

He found them still hiding in the bushes at the edge of the parking lot, looking nervous and ready to run away as soon as the need would arise. Jiyeon, Dokyun Taehyun, Beomgyu.

And Soobin.

Overcome with emotions, Yeonjun did not even stop to think. His body shifted almost unconsciously, and he found himself tackling Soobin in a bone crushing hug. He felt tears of relief burning his eyes as he nuzzled into his friend’s neck.

“You did it,” Soobin whispered in his ear.

“I’m sorry,” was all Yeonjun could answer. He almost let out a sob when Soobin pulled back, his eyes searching Yeonjun’s. “What for? Why are you apologizing?” 

“I left you behind.”

“I asked you to.”

“But…”

“Yeonjun.” Soobin’s voice was soft and firm at the same time. Yeonjun could still see an array of emotions swimming in his eyes. He couldn’t understand how calm his friend was when he himself felt so scattered. 

Yeonjun didn’t know what processed him to do so, but he suddenly dragged Soobin closer by the back of his head, bringing their lips together in a bruising kiss. He felt rather than heard Soobin’s notice of surprise, but his relief was almost enough to make his knees buckle once he realized he was not pulling away. In fact, Soobin brought a hand to his cheek, keeping him close with a steady touch. 

For a moment, Yeonjun forgot all about the trials that had led him there. All he could feel, all he could acknowledge, was the slowly building press of Soobin’s lips against his. He would have been content to remain that way until he couldn’t breathe anymore. It felt deserved, in a sense. After all these years of longing, he finally had a taste of what he had always wanted. However, a pointed hum coming from his side had him disentangling himself from Soobin.

“Guys, we are kind of in a hurry.” 

Although Taehyun was right, he did not look to be angry at them in the slightest. In fact, the grin splitting his face in half looked almost painful. Yeonjun looked back at Soobin. He wanted to avoid his eyes so badly, but he wasn’t strong enough. Luckily for him, Soobin seemed to feel the same. “You should shift back,” he said softly.

Yeonjun nodded and took his other form, pointedly ignoring Kai’s huff. He only flicked his tail in his face in retaliation. Even while shifted, he could swear his lips were still tingling from the kiss.

No one had forgotten the urgency of their escape. They ran all the way back to the truck, quickly jumping inside. When both Yeonjun and Kai shifted, Beomgyu offered them blankets to shield them from the cool breeze as the car started to move through the night. All five of them were left in the bed while Dokyun and Jiyeon shared the interior seats.

As Beomgyu and Taehyun fretted over Kai, Yeonjun could only smile to himself. They would make it home by sunrise, safe and sound. It was more than Yeonjun had ever hoped for. Their pain and hardships had left them there, together. Coming home.

Yeonjun felt a heavy gaze settle onto him. He turned to look at Soobin, who was watching him from the other side with an unreadable expression. While Yeonjun felt shy, he still held up his gaze. At his inviting smile, Soobin shifted closer.

“Hello.”

“Hi.”

Yeonjun felt embarrassed. There was a palpable tension in the air, one he knew he was responsible for. He took in a breath.

“Listen, I’m sorry?”

Soobin laughed. “That again?”

“Yeah. I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have… _kissed_ you like this.” The word felt heavy on his tongue. He didn’t regret it, far from it, but making Soobin uncomfortable was the last thing he ever wanted to do. 

“I told you already, there’s no need to apologize.”

Soobin’s eyes seemed sincere enough. It shocked Yeonjun. “You…?”

“I’ve been waiting for a long time, Yeonjun,” Soobin admitted. 

Yeonjun couldn’t be blamed when he leaned over, kissing Soobin once again. Not even his friend’s cheers from beside them could deter him from it. They broke away when it became evident that Soobin was smiling too much for them to continue kissing. 

“So, what does this mean?” Yeonjun whispered.

“It means that I like you.”

Yeonjun smiled. “I like you too.”

“I sure hope so.” 

And if Soobin spent the rest of the journey back home with his hand in Yeonjun’s, pressed against him, no one had anything to say about it. After these stressful days, there was too much happiness in the air to drag anyone’s mood down. Surely, they would be in trouble once daylight hit, but Yeonjun knew that the dust would settle. They had gone through much worse, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who followed this story until here! There will be an epilogue uploaded in a few days/weeks, so stay tuned for that. Aside from one big mystery that I always intended to explain in the epilogue, is there anything else that wasn't answered in the story that you would like to see?


	6. Epilogue: Initiated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chatter between the Clan members disappeared when one of the Elders stood up from beside his peers. He said nothing, simply made a gesture of his hand, but it was enough for the drums to start beating.   
> To the rhythm of the drums, Huening Kai walked into the circle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! I'm sorry thatI keep being late when posting updates... but we finally made it! Thanks once again to anyone who followed or read this story. It means the world to me.

The house was oddly quiet when Yeonjun woke up. He instinctively knew that no one would be there to greet him when he came downstairs to take his morning tea. The kitchen was tranquil and he savored it, leaning his weight against the counter as he waited for his water to boil. He knew the day was bound to be ectic, and a little peace and quiet could be nothing but beneficial to him.

When his drink was ready, Yeonjun left the house through the back door, his cup in hand. Dew still clung to the grass and he shivered as the water chilled his bare feet. However, the drink he was nursing was warm and comforting. Yeonjun smiled once he spotted his mother kneeling in the middle of her garden. “Good morning.”

She turned around to greet him, smiling softly. “Good morning. Did you have a nice sleep?”

“I did, actually.”

“Not too nervous for today?”

Yeonjun hummed, taking a sip of his tea. He always had a good relationship with his mother. She trusted him and cared for him in a tender and calm way. She had been extremely worried upon his return home a few weeks earlier, but had tearfully admitted to him how she understood his reasons. Yeonjun was glad that running away hadn’t affected their relationship in a bad way. It had been one of the most relieving parts of coming back home.

“Not really,” he admitted. “I know what to do.”

His mother stood up, brushing the dirt from her knees. She came closer to him and softly tucked back a strand of his hair behind his ear. “You’ll make us proud. I know it.”

“I know I will make  _ you _ proud.”

His mother sighed and Yeonjun looked away, unwilling to see the look in her eyes. “Yeonjun, he is proud of you too. He just disagrees with the methods.”

His father had been avoiding him ever since he initially came home at the break of dawn, riding in the bed of the truck, half asleep against Soobin’s side. He had taken the habit of leaving early in the morning for patrols, as well as taking up more duties in the village. He rarely was home at the same time as Yeonjun, who’s hunting duties took place mostly at night. 

Yeonjun didn’t even have the chance to tell him about Soobin. Not that he’d be happy about it. His mother, as usual, took it with stride, welcoming her son’s boyfriend with open arms and a warm heart. Yeonjun had almost cried in relief.

“Well, those  _ methods _ were the only way to get to the result.”

“I know, but you have to leave him some time. You know how he is.”

“Yeah, I do. A little too well.”

Yeonjun took a step back and drained the rest of his tea. He knew his mother wasn’t at fault for his father’s antics, but her reluctance to stand up to the man hurt him nonetheless. He tried giving her a smile, although he knew it must have been quite shaky. “I’m gonna go back to bed for a bit. The ceremony is only at noon, so I still have plenty of time.”

She nodded, but Yeonjun could see the sadness in her eyes. He ignored it. “Yes. Just make sure to give yourself time to get ready.”

“Yes, of course.”

Yeonjun went back to bed but sleep evaded him. He could only watch the ceiling above him in silence, waiting for the moment he would eventually have to get up and dress up. Yeonjun really didn’t know why his eyes refused to stay shut. Was it nervousness? Or was there something else running in circles in his brain?

When he eventually walked down the stairs a couple hours later, his mother fawned over him. Yeonjun was wearing his ceremonial clothes, and although they were quite simple, he knew the many beads and embroidery along the collar and the hem were pretty enough to compete with the more complicated outfits. After all, his mother had lovingly sewed it from scratch. She had always been talented with clothing.

They made their way towards the edge of the town, where a lone willow tree stood out of place at the spot where the grass met the forest. Since its presence was so unique amidst the usual trees of their forests, the willow tree had quickly become the place where ceremonies were held. It had been that way since the Clan had first settled there. The clearing offered more space than the Central place where the Council would meet. 

As they crossed into the clearing, Yeonjun spotted his friends sitting down on one side of the large circle of people gathered in front of the willow. He smiled at his mother before they parted ways. He knew she would eventually meet with his father, and Yeonjun knew he had better company waiting for him.

When he sat down beside Soobin, his boyfriend tugged him into a quick kiss. They parted when Beomgyu hit Soobin’s shoulder, making him laugh against Yeonjun’s lips. Looking into Soobin’s eyes, Yeonjun was able to forget the tension that had plagued him all morning. “Hello.”

“Hello,” Soobin whispered back. “Are you nervous for later?” 

“He shouldn’t be,” Taehyung spoke up. “He deserves his place in this. No one can say otherwise.”

“I’m not really nervous, I’m just…”

“You’re nervous,” Beomgyu chirped. 

“No! I’m just honoured, that’s all.”

“I’m happy for you,” Soobin said, gently petting his hair.

“Today isn’t about me, guys. Let’s focus on what’s important.”

Upon his return back home, Huening Kai had been extremely nervous for his Initiation. It had been mere weeks away, creeping closer faster than he would have liked. They all knew his time in the human laboratory had changed him somehow. He didn’t show it much, but it sometimes appeared in the way he kept spacing out, or when he would suddenly stop in the middle of a run through the forest, whining in sorrow.

They couldn’t do anything to help him except to be there when he needed them. While his friends could somewhat sympathize with what he was going through, having also suffered at the hand of greedy humans, Yeonjun couldn’t even hope to ever understand it. Strangely, it was on him that Kai relied on the most. It was Yeonjun that always managed to pull him out of his slumps. It was to Yeonjun that he would go to when things were rough.

Although there was nothing wrong in how Kai was hurting, he didn’t show it much. Aside from the mental strain, his body had recovered exceptionally quickly. All there was to show of his time in the lab was the identification number tattooed on his wrist, a number he would always cover with a thick bracelet that Taehyun had made for him. 

The chatter between the Clan members disappeared when one of the Elders stood up from beside his peers. He said nothing, simply made a gesture of his hand, but it was enough for the drums to start beating. 

To the rhythm of the drums, Huening Kai walked into the circle.

He was dressed in nothing but leather pants, his chest bare for all to see. On his head sat a small headdress woven from hazel wood. Kai looked nervous, and Yeonjun could see his slight shivers from afar. However, his brows were furrowed in a determinate expression. By the time the sun would be at its highest in the sky, he would be Initiated into their Clan.

Initiations were a big step in their lives. On their eighteenth birthday, members celebrated their passage into adulthood with a very special ceremony. It marked the day they would officially step into the Clan, taking on a position as well as heavier responsibilities.

The first person to stand up was Kai’s mother. She had in her hands a bowl filled with a red paste. She dipped her hand inside and stepped closer to her son. “For the moment you were born in our midst,” she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. She put her hand on Kai’s belly, leaving behind a crimson handprint.

As she stepped back, Kai’s father stood up. Dipping his hand into the bowl himself, he spoke up. “For the time we raised you, watching over your back.” His handprint was placed on his son’s shoulder blade, a symbolic show of support.

Next came the Elders, who each had something different to say about Huening Kai’s life in the Clan. Yeonjun could feel himself beginning to grow nervous. With a crooked smile, he told himself that this was nothing compared to what had transpired a few weeks ago. He could be confident for his friend, even if the whole village was watching him. Even if his father was watching him.

When it was time for him to stand up, Yeonjun tried to do so with assurance. He had been chosen to welcome Kai amongst the hunter’s ranks, his chosen position. While he didn’t see himself as worthy enough for this honour, it had been almost unanimous. For all that Yeonjun had done, the honour was his. After all, he had been the one to help Kai out of his cage.

No matter how much he had protested and praised the friends that had been at his side, he still stood in the middle of the circle, ready for his youngest friend to cross one of the biggest steps in his life.

Yeonjun dipped his hand in the paste, respectfully bowing his head in front of Kai’s mother. When he walked up to him, Yeonjun held up Kai’s gaze. His friend still looked nervous, but unashamed glee made his whole body glow. “For the hunts that you will lead,” he said, before leaving his handprint on Kai’s chest, right where his heart stood. 

The friends smiled at each other for a brief moment before Yeonjun had to step back, leaving the place for the very last step of Kai’s Initiation. Their Leader stood up, repeating the same motions as the many people that came before him. “For the years that your heart will beat to the same rhythm as ours…” He trailed off, placing his hand on Kai’s neck, staking his claim on him with vibrant red. “Welcome to the Clan.”

___

The feast that followed Kai’s Initiation, despite being on the smaller side, was still quite festive. Kai day down at the head table for the entirety of the meal, flanked on either side by his parents as tradition dictated it. When the food was all gone from the many plates offered to all, Kai stood up and walked towards where his friends were seated.

“How do you feel, now that you’re a real man?” Taehyun asked with a grin.

“Shut up.” There wasn’t any heat behind his words. In fact, he looked quite happy, the beaming smile never leaving his face. He sat down beside Beomgyu, and the latter ruffled his hair. Kai protested, hands going straight for his now misplaced headdress. 

“Lucky for you,” Yeonjun said, “your birthday is in summer.”

Soobin perked up. “Yeah, I had to be shirtless standing in five inches of snow.” 

“Guess I was just blessed.”

“Oh now,  _ you  _ shut up.”

Yeonjun laughed. He was overcome with a sudden bout of happiness. Tightening his grip around his boyfriend’s waist, he leaned down and kissed his forehead.

“What was that for?”

“Nothing,” he shrugged. “I just love you.”

“Get this sappy crap out of my face,” Beomgyu whined. “I don’t see how this is better than you pining for each other.”

“At least Yeonjun isn’t brooding anymore.”

“I was never brooding!”

“Yes you were!”

While their group dissolved into chaos, arguing about Soobin and Yeonjun’s relationship, Yeonjun felt his boyfriend tug on his ear. He tuned out the sounds of the argument.

“After that, what do you think of a run in the forest?” Soobin whispered.

“With the boys?”

“Hmm, maybe just you and me?”

Yeonjun smiled and leaned back, looking into Soobin’s eyes. “I’d like that very much.”

They might still bear the scars of their past for years to come. His conflict with his dad might not have been resolved. However, it had all been worth it to Yeonjun. No longer was he crushed by survivor’s guilt the way he had been when he woke up alone that morning in the forest. All of his friends were home, as safe as one could be, and he had his newfound love in his arms. They had all the time in the world to let their fledgling feelings grow into something more, something beautiful.

Things could only look up from now on. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks my first competed chaptered fic since 2015, and I'm realy happy about it so far. It's also my first txt fic altogether, and while I can't promise it soon, I have other ideas coming!
> 
> [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/namustits)

**Author's Note:**

> The tags and warnings will probably change as the story advances, so make sure to read them before updates!


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